I Will Keep Your Secret
by Vic Powell
Summary: When Kaede was 13, she spent an afternoon with Yuri Petrov because of her father. She touched him and later accidentally activated her NEXT powers. Eight years later, she's applying to become his assistant because she's curious about the man behind the vigilante's mask and his fire. He's so kind to her while everyone around him says he's distant and cold. Older!KaedexYuri Petrov
1. Chapter 1

It had been another long morning for Yuri Petrov. He hadn't slept well to start with; his dreams were haunting him once again regarding _that day._ He brushed his teeth, pulled his hair back as best he could, but several ashen colored locks refused to cooperate and fell into his face instead. He didn't try to stop them and slid several bobby pins over the left side of his hair, keeping at least some of the mess back. After eating a cup of yogurt and mixing a spoon of honey into his tea, he went to his wheelchair-bound mother and kissed her temple, telling her he'd be back later that night. She was having a good day, rather lively compared to normal, and was talking to the air next to her about their darling boy and how handsome he was. She laughed and covered her mouth, guiltily looking up at the solemn and not quite awake Yuri.

"Your father is right dear, when are you going to get a girlfriend? Oh stop you, he's just shy..."

Too tired to deal with his mother's delusions, he said something about how he hadn't met the right one and went to work. It was his first day at the Justice Bureau and he didn't want to be late. He blamed most of his tired demeanor on stress, which also made a good excuse for his dreams, instead of the fact a voice taunted him every night, saying they had work to do, it was time to let _him_ take over for a while and help the city in a way those bumbling buffoons couldn't. The buffoons were Heroes, of course. He had done a bit of research on them, but it didn't amount to much in the end, Yuri simply didn't have enough connections to dig deeply enough into their abilities like he wanted to. He'd probably be able to get more information about them while he was working in the Bureau. If he knew more about them, it'd help him in his plan. Not his, but _his_. The voice was becoming more insistent lately and it was harder to ignore.

The pale man didn't quite realize when he had reached his destination. He went up the steps, swiped a pass, and entered the premises. It was another boring building with tired looking security guards, lots of men and women in sharp suits, and an air of importance that was hard to shake once one got to this level of employment. He shook hands with the Mayor and Mr. Maverick, both of whom worked closely with the Bureau since the Heroes were so involved with upholding the peace. He didn't envy a single one of the poor saps being filmed trying to save the day. Sure the Heroes were paid well enough for the stuff they had to deal with, but they were just police officers who followed rules set by a television producer and given idiotic looking costumes. Idiotic passed his mind a few times when he thought of the designs. Blue Rose was a teenager and pranced around in what was essentially a strapless leotard with a transparent… female version of a codpiece? It wasn't a skirt, that was for sure. Wild Tiger looked like he came off the pages of a bad comic book, and Sky High was a flying Tin Man. Yuri ran his hand over the back of his neck, glad that he was not one of them, those fools on the streets letting their mistakes be filmed for entertainment. That would be a fate worse than death, he wagered.

The new judge unpacked his briefcase, set his fountain pen in a display that was good for easy grabbing when he was taking notes or thinking, and tried to make his large desk look full of things. There was a doorway cut out of a library wall, or the bookcase was built around the door, which at the moment was open. He looked out the front of his office, a wall of windows grimly reminding him that he'd be watched like a caged animal at a zoo. He didn't like that mental image and figured he might have to work hard to get out of the dingy office and into something more private. He enjoyed his privacy greatly.

Once settled in, Yuri was brought to a welcome brunch, put through meetings, sat in at court to observe, and then, when he thought he was done, he was told there was a dinner to welcome a new Hero to the team and it would be good for him to get out and experience that sort of party. He grimaced internally but smiled outwardly as best as he could. His lips barely twitched and he ended up glaring at the poor intern that had come to deliver the message, since his email wouldn't be properly functioning until tomorrow at the earliest.

The event was rather boring, and Judge Petrov watched Wild Tiger storm off stage when his new partner was announced. He thought about the man briefly; Kotetsu Kaburagi was a huge liability and was constantly breaking buildings, highways, and sometimes railroads, but his heart was in the right place. It made him all the more insufferable. His damaging techniques left his company bankrupt and it would be made public tonight or tomorrow that the company which sponsored him had been sold to Apollon Media. Wild Tiger would be working with the rookie Hero. Yuri was certain the new player would be presented in a flashy way during the show, Yuri was certain. He rolled his eyes at the farce of an entertainment program, treating it like some reality television set where everything would always turn out alright. No one saw the trials later with the criminals, the property damage reports that had to be paid off, the hospital bills from innocent bystanders. To the public, it might as well all be scripted and perfectly executed by dancing puppets in brightly colored tights. Hero TV was an eye catching and idiotic show to distract thousands, in the Judge's opinion.

Yuri got home late, near midnight, and said goodnight to his mother. She was staring out the living room window, her liveliness long since gone. Idly the man wondered if she had remembered what her husband did to her that made her wheelchair bound early in her life, but he paid Origa little attention except to tell her to go to bed sooner rather than later. He then took a shower before going to bed himself. The nightmares visited him again, but a deep voice told him that soon they would help the city rid itself of the evil that was infecting it like a parasite.

Kaede Kaburagi spun around in circles, trying to get her bearings. She had gotten lost from her grandmother and this was her first time in Sternbild alone, but everything was so loud, so fast paced, and so different from the small town they lived in that she was hopelessly lost and didn't know up from down. Nine years old, she was in the city for an ice skating competition. The poor child couldn't even see the building that she was supposed to be going to and she was starting to worry. She was expected by a certain time and if she didn't make it, her grandmother will have wasted her money to bring them. It was her own fault of course, not that Kaede would admit it to anyone, but she had seen a picture for the current season of Hero TV, with the new partner for Wild Tiger being promoted. The chestnut haired girl wanted to get a better look at the Hero and hopped off the train before her grandmother could stop her.

Taking a few steps one way and then a few more another way, the fretting child took off at a run to try and at least see the domed building she was supposed to be at. Kaede was the kind of child who spoke her mind, ran around a lot normally, and was easily excited. Just an average, happy person in the making. But right now she was realizing she should have held her grandmother's hand and not run off without the old woman. Turning a corner, she let out a yelp and fell backwards as she lost her balance, hearing someone else fall as well.

"Ah, I'm so sorry!" Kaede sat up quickly and moved to stand, offering the man her hand to assist him in standing as well. He brushed off her assistance and grunted, moving to his feet easily without the help of the child. "I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost and I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going."

"Oh? And where are you trying to go, little one?" Yuri's pale green eyes stared down into the warm caramel gaze that was anxiously peering back at him.

"There's a big domed building somewhere with a skating rink in it, I have a competition..."

Yuri was looking for a place to have lunch, finding the inane chatter of the women in the offices a bother and the politics the other workers there bordered on nauseating. He brushed off his charcoal colored suit, adjusted his electric blue and lime green tie, and then raised a brow slowly at the child in front of him.

"Alright. I believe I know where you want to go, miss...?"

"Kaede! It's a pleasure to meet you; thank you for helping me." She politely bowed and then beamed when he smiled, the corners of his lips quirking upwards a fraction, while he bent just slightly at the waist, more like a gentleman than anything. She followed after Petrov as he led the way, but it was a crowded street and the young lady started to fall behind. "Ah, mister!"

The tall man turned and waited for her to catch up to him, staring down at her with almost empty eyes, barely registering that she was still there. Slowly Yuri offered his hand, looking cautious about it and as if he really didn't want to be doing it. Kaede had no idea he might be against the idea of her taking his hand and she grasped it, looking relieved that she had an anchor to hold onto this time.

"Come along, Miss Kaede..." Yuri sighed inwardly. How had his lunch break turned into helping a lost child?

" _It's because she's so pure."_

The voice curled around his ear and teased him, the tone mocking and snide, but Yuri ignored it and kept going. Was that it? He was helplessly drawn to helping those who were innocent? That didn't make any sense, but he was already trapped into helping the child, so he might as well see it through and grab something on the way back. Maybe a yogurt from a corner store would do, it was a typical meal for the Judge anyway.

Up until that point Yuri had been tuning the girl's constant stream of noises out, for she had been babbling without pause since she had taken his hand. Kaede seemed very trusting and cheerful, but thankfully the pale man was not affected by it. He looked down at her, realizing she had stopped running her mouth, and let out a small sound that indicated he was asking a question.

"Oh, I just said... I realized I didn't know your name, mister, so I can properly thank you!"

"Ah, yes. Please just call me Yuri."

"That's a nice name. Do you like it?"

"It's a name, whether I like it or not, it is mine." He paused, not expecting her to understand any philosophical meaning that he might've been building up to explain and elaborate on. Peculiar, because he normally did not try to engage anyone in conversation outside of work, and he again blamed it on her disarming innocence. The young Judge finally realized they were there, once he had stopped thinking of how to explain the meaning of a name and its worthless attachments people had to them to the child. He let go of Kaede's hand hastily and said something historical about the building that neither of them really heard, because at that moment his stomach decided to protest the waste of a lunch break. Yuri scowled and rubbed at his temple, trying to smile at Kaede and tell her it was time for him to go, but she was staring up at him and blinking slowly with that wondrous and charming wholesomeness that threw him for a loop.

"Mister Yuri, are you hungry?"

"I do not eat much, but it looks like I am in need of sustenance. I'm going to go get some food. You should go to your competition."

"Oh no, wait right here, I'll go get us something to eat!" Kaede was gone the next moment and Petrov sighed, wondering if he should listen to the voice in his head that was telling him to just leave the girl since they had brought her to her destination.

While debating the pros and cons of leaving, Kaede came back with two frozen yogurts. Yuri blinked as she handed one to him, staring at the sweet treat and then at the girl, but she had already started to eat hers.

"They're good, try it Mister Yuri!" She had a bit of vanilla on her cheek and a brief flicker of light crossed his eyes, but not his mouth. He took a tentative bite of the frozen goodness and then another. It was nice, and neither said anything for a few minutes while they ate. Once both had finished, Kaede fished a napkin out of her purse and wiped her mouth, a bit pink in the cheeks from how quickly she had consumed her food and how messily.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Mister Yuri." The pale man offered his hand to her, but Kaede stepped close and gave him a hug. He reeled back slightly at how suddenly she had her arms around his slender waist that was hidden a bit by his ill fitting suit. Just as soon as she had her arms around him, she started to let go. "Sorry! I'm so used to hugging my uncle when he brings me places. I'm so sorry!" Kaede was red in the face and Yuri looked mildly confused, but he eventually reached a hand down and patted her on the head awkwardly.

"Good luck with your competition," he said as he left, turning when he was a few feet away and politely waving to the girl as she ran up the building steps, turned, waved in return, and went to go compete on the ice.

Petrov returned to the office, catching up on reports, one which mentioned moving statues. Wild Tiger was going to have to be brought in for a hearing because he was already causing a good amount of damage with his new partner, Barnaby.

The Judge worked late into the night, not only doing his own work, but taking the time to gather information with regards to the personal interest he had in being at the Justice Bureau.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: So, originally, I binge watched the entire T&B series (show and movies) back in 2017 and then I sat down and wrote this fic in 24 hours. I have since gone back to edit and update it because I noticed a lot of grammatical errors and things that could be improved for a more fluid story, plus I have a desire to expand the whole fic. Also I fixed minor misspellings. So, if you have read this story, thank you so much, if you re-read it, I hope you enjoy the updates!


	2. Chapter 2

A year passed before Yuri even realized it. He was sitting in meetings with the Mayor and Mr. Maverick, his fair rulings as a judge made him popular in the offices, and he was gaining more and more power, just as he wanted. He had to keep his office with the glass windows that faced into the rest of the building so everyone who passed by could watch him, which was irritating, but he lived with it. For now. At night he would go out as Lunatic, new targets coming through his very courtrooms that needed to be taken care of in a more permanent matter than prison. Some nights he would stay in his office working, other times he'd go home and put files together for his own benefit based on what he learned at his job, locking them safely away from prying eyes in a hidden room within his study.

And then everything hit the fan.

Yuri had been keeping tabs on the various Heroes and who they were connected with, but when Kotetsu Kaburagi was said to be a murderer, Yuri started to access back doors he had built in the system over the last year. He listened and watched, but most importantly, the man only observed. The Heroes fought for their lives and at the same time exposed Maverick as a NEXT who had killed Barnaby's parents and was in the process of building androids that were designed to protect if necessary, but it seemed more likely they were intended to kill.

The Judge's interest was piqued when he saw that there was a little girl being held hostage who wasn't a Hero. To his knowledge, Dragon Kid was the youngest Hero that the city had, but this girl looked familiar. He knew he had seen that chestnut hair somewhere aside from the broadcast that had been cut off before she could do more than plea for her father's innocence. And then he remembered. The lost girl, the disarming innocence, the frozen yogurt, the sudden hug. His eyes narrowed, watching the crazy scientist that had made the androids. What was his name, Rotwang? He irritated Yuri to the point his vision started to turn red and a voice asked to handle the situation, but he resisted it. He had to watch, _his_ chance would come later, as it always did.

Petrov continued to observe from behind the safety of his computer screen. He had hacked into the cameras of almost every imaginable place within the main Justice Bureau buildings and any associated to it. The judge's eyes were narrowed, weighing the scales as he decided the fates of all involved in the current situation. The little girl was a NEXT? He saw the glow of blue as she shot ice at the corrupted scientist, mulling over how likely it was that when a NEXT reproduced, the chances of another NEXT were higher. Yuri Petrov, along with the rest of Sternbild, watched as Maverick was exposed as a corrupt murderer who was trying to play the greater good card. His blood boiled and his muscles tensed, but he waited.

While he waited, Yuri stirred a large spoonful of honey into his tea, preparing to let the voice he heard take over for a while. He watched Maverick forcibly forget all of his memories and sighed along with the other one in his head, both thinking the same thing: _That was pointless; you still have to atone for your sins._

Petrov got ready. The arrest was being made and the city was rejoicing that they were safe once more. But their work had to be fast. He watched the little girl, Kaede, stand with the other Heroes in the immediate aftermath. He wondered if that would be good for her or not, but put it out of his mind and let Lunatic take over. The girl's ice powers were logged away in his head with the other data he had gained about her, making a mental file which he intended to put on paper and then promptly forget about. She was not important, but he did keep information on all the NEXT he knew of, especially those connected to Hero TV. He sat in the backseat, so to speak, and mulled over the too-trusting girl he had met a year ago. It made sense now, he had watched the beginning of the initial broadcast of course, and that girl was Wild Tiger's daughter. No wonder she was how she was, she shared many qualities with her father.

And then Maverick was dead. He felt his spirit lighten a little, knowing that such a large evil was stamped out of the city. But there were always more evils ready and willing to take root. He'd have to keep working.

Schneider was next, but he first had the pleasure of sentencing Mark to prison for a hundred years for his crimes, as the judge presiding over that particular case. Watching the man have to be restrained by police officers as he tried to assault the judge made Yuri smile on the inside, but he stood and left his chair, needing to prepare for the next hearing. There was someone inside of him that was excited to do their job, and the paper copy of the case disappeared, which meant a new one had to be printed.

Two more years passed. Yuri continued to rise in power until he could finally have the private office he longed for, but he was so quiet and kept to himself that it made his coworkers worry for him. The man worked late, didn't socialize, barely knew anything about anyone on the floor he worked on aside from their names and job titles, and yet he was a fair judge that listened to all of the back and forth before making an impartial decision. Those who worked at the Justice Bureau couldn't say anything negative about Judge Petrov except he was closed off and kept his distance from everyone. Most people thought he was sickly because he was so pale and slender, his suits didn't look like they fit too well, but someone pointed out that he rarely went outside, he might just lack sunlight. Thus the rumor started he was a vampire. Someone else had mentioned that his ears looked rather pointed at the tops and he kept his hair long and used a black silk ribbon to hold it away from his face. The vampire rumor started to set roots in the Justice Bureau workers, all unknown to Yuri Petrov, who had no time to waste on idle office gossip.

The rumors kept circulating, unbeknownst to Petrov, until Wild Tiger brought it up once during one of their meetings about property damages and how he'd pay for it this time. His wages were almost nothing because he was still paying for damages from the last two times he had lost control, so they were meeting to try and come to an agreement that didn't cause the man to go homeless, but still had the property owners paid fairly.

"Eh, you know, Judge Petrov, I wouldn't ask this unless I really had to..."

Petrov braced himself for a session of overly dramatic begging and pleading, which was not out of Wild Tiger's character when he was backed this far up against a wall and they were alone. It might have even been something to qualify as a bond between them, except all it did was aggravate Yuri beyond belief and make him curse the day he had been given that huge folder of cases against Wild Tiger by a smirking superior at the time.

"Are you really a vampire like they say?"

Yuri's eyes widened. That was the last thing he expected Kotetsu to ask him. "...What?"

"Y'know, the office people. They said for me to watch out because you're a vampire. Is that true?"

Feeling defeated, the pale judge slumped in his seat, rolled his eyes, and sighed, irritation evident across his features. "Of course I am not a vampire. Why would you ever listen to such drivel?" He knew why. Kaburagi was an idiot, plain and simple. He and Barnaby made a perfect pair with their stupidity. Barnaby was becoming like his partner, which meant he was losing respect in Yuri's eyes. Not that there had been a lot there to begin with, but he had begrudgingly decided that trying to avenge the murder of one's parents was a justifiable reason to become a Hero. It would give him access to many opportunities to investigate criminals and connections to help him if he made any mistakes along the way. Barnaby starting to take after his partner also meant there was a higher chance of him doing something stupid and causing enough property damage to end up in front of Yuri in court one day. Not that he expected the blonde man to be in as much trouble as Wild Tiger often got into, but he'd start slipping if he wasn't careful.

"Oh, uh, I dunno, it was just weird. You should come out with Bunny and me one day, Judge, it'd help you lighten up, I bet."

Yuri was trying to keep a neutral face, because in his head he could hear Lunatic howling with laughter. " _Oh yes, please Yuri, go with them and get ice cream, intrude on their lovers quarrels, and be the perfect third wheel! Let Hero TV film it and you can become an idiot just like them! Don't forget to showcase to the world your glorious NEXT power while you're at it!"_

Neither Lunatic or Yuri liked the Heroes, but they didn't hate them either. The Heroes and Yuri's ideas of justice were simply different and conflicted with one another. The Heroes were wrong and misguided, and their thinking could be corrected, but there was not enough time in one person's life to really fix it. So they had to work on the same side and walk different paths to get to the same goal, even though it looked different to one another.

Yuri chose his words carefully, trying to keep from snapping out a rude answer to the dolt. He spoke slowly, the words difficult to manage. "I... Thank you for the offer, Wild Tiger, but I will have to pass."

Dressed in his slacks with the long sleeved dark green button down, a cream and grey colored vest covering it, and his eye mask on, the man sighed and ran his fingers over his sable colored hair. "Tch, you know you can call me Kotetsu, Judge Petrov. I've been in your office more than a few times, we're practically friends."

The judge smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "Yes, practically... but not quite there. And you still call me Judge Petrov, so doesn't that tell you something about our level of familiarity?"

Kotetsu looked gobsmacked. Yuri was glad he was speechless, it meant a moment of peace for him.

"Alright, I'll send the paperwork for your terms for paying for damages to your sponsor... Shall I walk you down? I was just about to go on my break and I wouldn't want you getting lost on your way out."

"So polite, Judge... You must drive the women crazy." Kotetsu stood, stretched, and shook hands with Yuri, who grimaced at what the man said. They proceeded out of the office in silence. People turned to stare at the duo, ready to gossip as soon as they were out of earshot. It was not uncommon for Wild Tiger to be visiting because of damages, however it was practically unheard of for Judge Petrov to leave his ivory tower office, and there was an even smaller chance he'd walk with the Hero who had the biggest file in the Bureau. Yuri had an entire room within his office that was for making food, sleeping if he worked late, washing up, everything. It was like his own personal apartment, just very cramped. When he wasn't at meetings or court hearings, he was so busy no one dared disturb him. Yuri had no reason to venture out, and the rumor mill churned again as soon as he entered the elevator with Wild Tiger and the doors closed.

Stepping out into the sunlight, Yuri squinted and shielded his eyes while Kotetsu pulled his hat a bit further down over his eyes and grunted. They stood still for a moment before a high pitched noise drew both of their gazes.

"Dad! There you are! Barnaby said you were here because you were in trouble again!" A young teenager stood at the bottom of the steps, part of her hair pulled up to one side with a magenta scrunchie, the rest loose around her shoulders. She was dressed in black leggings and a magenta skirt, her blue vest open and exposing her black shirt underneath. Green sneakers hugged her feet and a backpack was on her shoulders, her hands firmly grasping the straps. "You promised me I could meet up with everyone today!"

"Ah.. Kaede, sweetie, daddy was busy with Judge Petrov, it was really important..." Kotetsu apologetically gestured at the man in the charcoal suit with the ashen hair and pale green eyes. He looked down at Kaede as the two descended the stairs. Yuri did not raise his voice; it was another thing that unnerved people. He always waited for things to quiet down and then said what he intended to.

"Judge.. Pet..." Kaede squinted, but her eyes widened as the man got closer. "Mister Yuri!"

"Ah?! Kaede, this is Judge Petrov, not Mister Yuri! Show some respect!" Kotetsu grabbed his daughter's head and pushed it down as he got close to her, grumbling about how she was being raised. He didn't even have time to think about why she knew what the man's first name was.

"Miss Kaede. It has been a long time, I am surprised you remember me." Yuri did his polite bow with the upper half of his body, reminding the girl again of a gentleman's gesture. Kaede grinned up at him and moved away from her father.

"Of course I remember you, you brought me to the skating competition! Did you hear, it was attacked by a statue! Barnaby saved me that day!"

"Did he? I am sure it was terrifying for you."

"It was, but he was so cool! I didn't know you worked here. And you know my dad?" She squinted at her father. "Is he in trouble with you?"

"There are times that we meet to discuss his... disturbances... But I merely handle the Hero TV cases, it is never big trouble." Kotetsu watched Yuri handle Kaede very gently, almost kindly. He scowled. Why wasn't Petrov that nice to him?!

"Ah, I'm so sorry for my father!" Kaede turned a bit pink when she realized what messes her father must cause all the time. "Are you going to lunch, Mister Yur- I mean, Judge Petrov? Do you want to get frozen yogurt again?"

"Eh?! Again!? Hey Judge, are you going on secret dates with my sweet little Kaede?!" Kotetsu was nearly whining by now and it was really grating on the judge's nerves.

"Of course not, Wild Tiger, I merely showed her how to get to a building and your daughter kindly thanked me with food." Yuri glared at the man over the girl's head, appalled he would even suggest such a thing. Dating a child, the man had no class... Idiot.

"Oh. Alright Kaede, come on, time to go home, Judge Petrov is a very busy man and you're annoying him." Kotetsu went to take his daughter's arm, but she darted away from him and stood near the judge. He huffed at his offspring's incredulous rebellion. "Kaede!"

"I want to go see Barnaby and Blue Rose, and Dragon Kid and Fire Emblem too! You promised; it's my birthday after all!"

Yuri looked down at the chestnut haired girl. "Your birthday? How old are you?"

"I'm thirteen today." Kaede beamed up at the ghostly pale man.

She did look taller than he remembered, but it had been so long ago and the memory was mostly haze now anyway, due to their interaction lasting perhaps ten minutes.

"But Kaede, everyone's very busy, you know. We don't have a bring your child to work day, I'm the only one with a kid!" Kotetsu was older than most of the other heroes by a few years, but he was close in age with Keith and Antonio, Sky High and Rock Bison respectively. Although Kotetsu swears he's near the age of Nathan, also known as Fire Emblem, he can't be sure because the man wears too much makeup to tell and refuses to admit his actual age, swearing it's an insult to even ask.

"So? You promised; or are you going to break another promise, like always?" Kaede scowled, looking annoyed. Her father always broke promises, and although she understood, it still really peeved her off and sometimes she had to blow off steam like a brat.

"I don-" Kotetsu's wrist started ringing. He looked down and touched a thin glowing band. It brought up a hologram which said "ALERT" on it. He touched the wrist accessory again and Ms. Agnes's voice came through for them all to hear. He had left the speaker mode on.

"Bonjour, Heroes. There's a thief making off with a rare diamond from the Bastet Street Museum. They're a powerful NEXT, so get going."

The call ended and Kotetsu looked helplessly at Kaede. Her cheeks turned pink with frustration and the young woman took in a deep breath.

She finally burst, shouting at the scruffy looking man, "You're such a good hero yet you're a terrible father!" Kaede ran off. Kotetsu fretted, looking between his watch and where his daughter had gone. Yuri sighed.

"Go do your job, Tiger. I will go check on Miss Kaede for you." He didn't sound happy about it, but Wild Tiger started, blinked, and then clapped Yuri on the shoulder, grasping his hand at the same time.

"Thanks, I owe you!"

"Yes, you do," Yuri said. The aging hero ran off and Petrov groaned, an all too familiar voice cackling to no one except the only person who could hear him.

" _You're a babysitter now? Oh that's wonderful, the great Yuri Petrov, murderer of sinners, taking care of a child! Have you ever been around a child before, Yuri?!"_

The judge ignored the currently irritating voice chuckling cruelly in his ear and walked slowly but with purpose. He found Kaede soon enough. She was lost again and had gone into a dessert shop. Gloomily, she looked at the menu, tears in the corners of her eyes but not falling. He sighed and adjusted his tie, stepping up behind the girl. Lunatic was still nattering in his head.

" _What a beautiful knight, coming to save the princess... say, does she know you almost killed her father? Or that you yourself are a murderer?"_

Yuri's brow furrowed, but he shifted and reached out, touching Kaede's shoulder gently. She turned and looked up at the judge, tears brimming, but quickly wiping them away so that he could not comment on their presence.

"I-I'm sorry you had to see that, Judge Petrov. I'm sorry my father's such a pain, and now I'm a bother too, aren't I?"

"No, you aren't a bother. Not as much as your father, anyway." Yuri lifted the corners of his mouth ever so slightly and Kaede smiled in return.

"He went to go do his job, didn't he?" Her tone was one that indicated she already knew the answer, shoulders slumping a bit, and she looked away from the tall male.

"Yes, but he's a Hero, it's very important work, you know."

"I know."

"Come. While we're here, let me get you a treat since it is your birthday. ...And my lunch break."

Kaede lit up, and without a second thought she went and ordered something sickeningly sweet looking from the menu. Her mood changed as often as a leaf turned over in the wind, and her quiet temporary guardian was glad that he did not have to experience children often. Yuri stood behind her, looking over all the options before he decided on a green tea and honey frozen yogurt. The two ate as they walked down the road, the judge having convinced Wild Tiger's offspring that the air would do them both some good.

While walking, Kaede saw a stall up ahead selling trinkets. She looked at them while Yuri watched, feeling lighthearted as he observed the young lady ooh-ing and aah-ing over everything that sparkled. Without questioning it he dismissed his gentle mood on the grounds of her disarming innocence, and even allowed himself to show a more natural, graceful smile while no one was looking. On an impulse, he said, "Would you like one, Miss Kaede? It is your birthday after all and you are currently being forced to spend it with me instead of your father and the others."

Kaede flushed a bright shade of pink, for two reasons. She was annoyed at her father, who had chosen work over her, but she was also embarrassed because Yuri Petrov was being really nice, kind of like Barnaby when she saw him lately. It threw her off guard.

"You don't have to do that, Judge Petrov, honestly. I'm just mad at my father."

Suddenly feeling like teasing her, Petrov said with a smile in his voice, "But I must pay you back for the treat you bought me the last time we met."

"Ah! But you just bought me dessert now!" Kaede puffed up a bit, proud of herself for having such a fast answer for his reason to buy her something.

"And today is your birthday. You are thirteen, a very special year. So please allow me to purchase you one of these shiny baubles." He gestured at the cart and she finally relented, deciding it would be rude to say no again to the judge. Kaede looked at everything that the cart had, but she kept going back to a faceted teardrop that looked like a translucent Peruvian Opal. The blue was so bright it nearly looked like a NEXT's power glow, and the neon green bounced and reflected inside of it beautifully. There were flecks of gold inside of it as well and she smiled at how unique it appeared compared to all the simple and single colored stones hanging up on either side of it.

"I like this one."

Yuri looked at it and quirked a brow; it reminded him of something terribly familiar. He said nothing except that it was lovely, paid for the necklace, and handed the pink box with a bow on it to Kaede. "Happy birthday, Miss Kaede."

"Thank you Judge Petrov, I'll treasure this." She held the box close and smiled brightly up at the man. He cleared his throat, silently cursed her innocence, and smiled in a slightly strained way back down at her. Yuri was not used to being around people for this long and it was starting to give him a small headache.

"I should probably watch after you until your father comes back so you don't start getting into trouble like he does." Yuri rubbed at the back of his neck, but he was smiling as gently as he could down at the girl. She relaxed him, which was surprising and difficult for him to admit to himself. "Would you like to see my office?"

"Yes please!"

Yuri led Kaede into the Justice Bureau, showing her the courtroom he worked in, the library, and the offices that belonged to Apollon Media and some of the other sponsors for the heroes. He got her a soda and allowed her to peruse his office, leaving the door open. Everyone who walked by and heard a high pitched girl's voice followed by the quiet Judge's response stopped and stared. Yuri Petrov, rumored to be a vampire, had a teenaged girl in his office and was smiling, sometimes laughing even! They all wanted to know who she was, but didn't dare ask.

"What's it like to be a judge, Mister Yuri?" Kaede was sitting in the man's large chair behind his solid oak desk, slowly spinning in it and staring up at the high ceiling.

"Well, it is a very difficult task that can only be carried out by one who is truly impartial to what he hears so that justice may be properly... executed." Petrov had hesitated on that word to use, but he decided there was no harm in it, in the end.

"Oh. And when you deal with Hero cases, do all the criminals get their justice?"

What an odd thing to ask. The ashen haired male was sitting on the couch next to a coffee table, leaning back and resting his hands in his lap, watching Kaede out of the corner of his eye. She was cute, spinning in his chair like that. The realization that Yuri could have such a thought caused him to furrow his brow. He banished the idea of considering another person's appearance anything more than a means to identifying who they were- deemed to be a frivolous distraction- to the same nightmare realm that was occupied with memories from _that day_.

"Everyone must answer for what they have done, and criminals are no different. In the end, all criminals receive Justice's cruel blade on their neck."

" _Wow Yuri, you are so good at dealing with children._ "

Lifting his head, the judge looked over at Kaede, confused by what Lunatic meant. The normally animated girl was sitting in his chair, staring at him with wide, doe-like eyes. He raised his brows slowly, opening his mouth to clarify. "They go to jail and serve their time, which is usually punishment enough, Miss Kaede." He did not realize that the metaphor might be taken so literally by the child, but he had so little experience in dealing with them.

"O-oh. Um. What made you want to be a judge?" Kaede slowly began to spin in the chair again, dismissing the notion of a sword carrying Justice slicing off the heads of criminals. That was just ridiculous, after all.

"My father inspired me," was Yuri's response, barely above a whisper. His young guest almost didn't hear him.

Their conversations drifted haphazardly through a myriad of topics, from school to Kaede's interests and hobbies, how the country compared to the city, and who their favorite heroes were on Hero TV. The young Kaburagi said her favorite hero was Barnaby, of course, and after careful consideration, Yuri finally answered he enjoyed Origami Cyclone. He found the young hero to be the most calm and quiet out of the lot of them, and the least prone to any sort of property damage.

In the evening the two ordered food to be brought to them and more rumors started. Two meals were brought up by the delivery boy, plus two enormously large desserts. People walking by thought they were going to die, for Judge Petrov was eating dessert with a teenage girl and laughing. An old woman in the offices crossed herself and said a prayer, for she was certain that her time on Earth was coming to a close.

Finally Kotetsu came back into the Bureau, looking mortified as he ran through the floor, looking for his daughter he was forced to abandon yet again. "Kaede?! Hey, Kaede!"

A chestnut haired head poked out of Judge Petrov's office, a shining metal spoon sticking out of her mouth. She disappeared right after, but not before Kotetsu saw where she had been.

"Kaede!"

Kotetsu stomped over to the judge's office and was about to bang on the door, but he realized the doorway was open. Judge Petrov was still sitting on the couch, one arm over his stomach, the other rubbing his temple. Kaede was on a couch opposite of the judge's, eating what looked like a triple decker ice cream sundae of sorts.

"Judge Petrov? ...Are you alright?" Kotetsu looked so lost and confused in that moment, thinking Kaede was annoying the ill looking man, but there was a disconnect because he saw a large empty bowl on the coffee table. His brain could not comprehend or connect the dots of what was going on before him, it was too unusual.

"I do not believe my body can handle as much sugar as a child's..." Petrov shuddered, looking a bit green all of a sudden.

"... … … Eh?" Kotetsu looked between the two and realized that, somehow, Judge Petrov had gotten the same dessert which his daughter was still eating. "Eh?!"

"Dad, you're late! Apologize to Judge Petrov!" Kaede pouted, spooning another mouthful of ice cream past her lips while glaring at her father the whole time. "He had to stay with me all day because you wouldn't take me with you and I don't know your apartment address!"

"Oh, I- I'm sorry, Judge Petrov. Kaede, come on, let the man work, stop being a burden to him..." Kotetsu gestured to his daughter, who picked up the pink box from earlier and put it in her bag, went over to the judge, and tilted her head to stare down at him.

Judge Petrov looked up at the child. He offered a weak smile to her and said, "Today was very... fun. Thank you, Miss Kaede."

"Oh no, thank you, Judge Petrov!"

Yuri sat up slowly, making sure not to groan from how full his stomach was, leaned towards Kaede, and whispered into her ear, so that only she could hear. "It's okay if you call me Mister Yuri, you know. I like you more than your father." He quirked a brow in a gently teasing way and Kaede blushed, giggling and nodding.

"Okay! Thank you again for today!" She leaned forward and pressed her mouth to the sickly looking man's cheek before he could draw back, running out of the office before her father could do anything.

"Kaede! I'm so sorry Judge Petrov, please don't be mad at her, she's just a child." Kotetsu awkwardly backed out of the office, bowing stiffly and holding his hat against the back of his head before he dashed off after his daughter.

Yuri blinked, placing his fingertips to his cool skin. A light touch of pink entered his cheeks belatedly as he realized what just happened.

When he got home, Yuri put his bag down and saw his mother was sitting in the living room, talking to the empty air once more. He went over and gently squeezed her shoulder to let her know that he had returned. She lifted her hand and put it on his, still talking to his father and smiling, but bringing him into the conversation too now that he was around.

"Yuri, you smell very sweet today, did you have a date?"

Petrov flinched, shook himself so that he could have a moment to compose his thoughts, and sighed. He just didn't have the heart to punish her today, it was so pleasant earlier.

"Yes mother, I did. With a very kind young lady named Kaede."

"Oh I hope you'll introduce us to her soon. Isn't that wonderful, dear? Yuri had a date!"

Yuri went to his private office, mixing honey into his freshly brewed tea while he resumed his other job, letting Lunatic do his research for the evening and settling into the background for the time being.

Kaede dodged her father as he tried to grab her, pouting. "No hugging! I don't want to hear your apologies! You chose work over me! Again! On today of all days!" Kotetsu had unlocked his apartment and she went into the spare room, slamming the door in her father's face and locking it. He whined on the other side but she ignored him, taking the box out Mister Petrov had given her and opening it.

The teardrop pendant was there with its mix of bright blues and greens, flecked with gold and glittering from even the smallest fraction of light touching it. Kaede put it on and smiled, thinking how nice Mister Yuri was, how similarly he had acted to Barnaby today. The warmth she felt spread through her, from her fingertips all the way down to her toes, warming her heart and making her head tingle with excitement and enjoyment. Closing her eyes, she hugged herself at the thought of Barnaby, how polite and courteous he always was to her, soft and patient, a proper gentleman. A flickering image of Yuri Petrov entered her mind in the midst of her daydream.

Kaede opened her eyes, startled by the presence of bright light where it shouldn't have been, and stared wonderingly at her hands. Electric blue and neon green fire curled around her fingers. Had she touched someone with this kind of power today? When? The last person she remembered touching was Mister Yuri, but this fire was awfully familiar... She thought about it for several minutes, racking her brain and every instance of NEXT she knew of from Hero TV, but she couldn't place where she had seen this particular fire for some reason, although she knew she had seen it before.

Did Mister Petrov control this kind of fire? She focused on the licks of blue and green that were making their way up her forearms and forced the flames to disappear, opening the door and touching her father's shoulder. The man had stationed himself outside of her door, sitting with his back to it and keeping his head down, lost in his own thoughts at the moment. She could almost feel her NEXT ability switch powers inside of her and bit her bottom lip gently. Whatever power she had accidentally picked up, she felt she shouldn't tell her father about it. Something within the back of her mind made the girl pause and want to keep it to herself instead.

She kept that fire to herself for eight long years.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: I went back and fixed some inconsistencies in this chapter. Mostly the Stein/Schneider problem, and that Yuri kept calling Kotetsu by his name even though it was mentioned they didn't. I also added a midge of fluff in Yuri's office because these two are so cute together. They need more time with one another and that will be something I work on with the next chapters.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a day like any other. Kaede was watching Hero TV, cheering on her friends and father as they chased down some criminal, but her gaze was constantly drawn to Barnaby, as it always was since he made his debut. The young woman, now sixteen, still had such a crush on the man, it was hard to be around him without blushing nearly scarlet and stammering when giving even a simple greeting. Her father teased her about it constantly, too, which did not help anything.

Growing up was becoming increasingly difficult for Kaede, because her grandmother needed more care and it was hard for her to juggle school, maintain the house, keep her guardian on track with medications, doctor's appointments, and making sure she didn't strain herself and end up hurt again. After a year of attempting to maintain some semblance of sanity and normalcy, her uncle made the decision to move back in with his mother and help her out. Since the young lady already knew about her father's work and what it'd mean for her, she took the opportunity to finish her schooling in Sternbild, returning to her Grandmother during long breaks and summer vacations.

The day that it happened, Kaede was sitting on the couch in her father's apartment, eating chips after she had finished her homework. Hero TV was on and she was glued to the screen, obsessively watching Barnaby like normal. The NEXT the heroes were fighting was a more powerful and unique type, with the ability to melt metal. Barnaby and Wild Tiger were in pursuit with Blue Rose alongside their bikes, on her own vehicle. The three had been teaming up of late for NEXT such as these, and more often than not, heroes were working together instead of treating it like a pure competition. Kaede was rather certain that Karina was being so helpful because she was worried about Wild Tiger and his dwindling hundred power ability.

The heroes drove close behind the criminal, who had stolen a fist sized blood ruby, along with a variety of other jewels. He activated his NEXT ability and melted the bikes out from under Wild Tiger, Barnaby, and Blue Rose. Since Barnaby was riding on the outer edge of the trio, his bike got hit the worst, and not only his vehicle, but half of his suit melted from the attack, cooling quickly and trapping his legs in place. Tiger jumped into action immediately as he leapt over the melted wreck, demanding Bunny use his hundred power ability, but the man refused to because he'd need it later. The blonde said he'd wait for Fire Emblem to help him out, as he had done before.

The NEXT criminal found that Wild Tiger and Barnaby were a fascinating sight, and from his spot up high, began to melt the rest of Barnaby's suit, keeping it at a liquid metal form so that it was constantly moving around his body and no one could assist the Hero. The blonde already had burns forming on his neck that were digging down past the first layers of skin, bubbling away his flesh slowly. Those caused the young Hero to scream in such a painful, tortured way that Tiger reached out to grab onto his partner. Touching melted metal with more metal was not a good idea though, and Wild Tiger's suit began to melt off of his fingers.

With the NEXT distracted by the two heroes, playing a cruel game called "When will I engulf your exposed head in melted metal", Dragon Kid and Sky High came up behind him silently. Down below, Tiger was so frustrated. He activated his hundred power ability, keeping the flesh on his fingers from melting any more, but it was not healing as quickly because there was too much damage constantly happening now. His partner, his Bunny, who had been with him for the last seven years, looked like he was dying. The old man couldn't take it anymore and screamed at the younger man.

"You can't die Bunny, I love you!"

Everyone stopped at that point. Blue Rose, who had been trying to cool the metal with her ice powers, stared, wide-eyed, at Wild Tiger. Dragon Kid held onto the unconscious criminal she had just knocked out while Kotetsu was screaming at Barnaby, his lack of consciousness ceasing the attack. The metal began to cool and condense slowly into a deadly cocoon for Barnaby's body. Tears of pain streamed down the blonde haired man's face, a deep section of skin taken out of his neck by the melted metal, and blood began to fill the wound and drip down too fast along the cooling metal. He barely had enough room to breathe in that metal mess, however Kotetsu's partner did manage to breathe out, "I love you too, Kotetsu."

It was the highest viewed episode of that season, because honestly, Agnes was considering the possibility of cutting the feed. It was too close for comfort, almost having a Hero die on live television, and she was not sure the studio heads would like that their show had an adult only rating for televised death.

Fire Emblem and Rock Bison came to Barnaby's aid. The flame based hero heated the metal up a considerable amount, softening the material, while Bison moved quickly, drawing the doughy steel away from the injured hero's body before it expanded inwards and accidentally crushed him. Metal expands in all directions when heated, so extracting Barnaby before his body had too much pressure put on it was rather important.

The hero duo was taken to the hospital. Kotetsu's hands had to be repaired, for the skin on his fingers was burnt off nearly to the bone. Barnaby was injured from the metal ripping his under suit and touching his skin, the cooled steel nearly crushing him twice over, and the deep gashes on his neck had to be properly assessed and addressed.

Kotetsu was released from the hospital first. It was a week after he was admitted. The night it all happened Kaede was there in the waiting room with the other Heroes, praying for a positive initial assessment from the doctor. During that week Kaede went to school, immediately traveled to the hospital after class, and stayed there until the nurses told her, as kindly and sympathetically as possible, that she had to go home and rest. Karina offered to let the younger girl stay with her and her parents, and she gratefully accepted the invitation. When any of the heroes had the chance, they'd visit Kotetsu and Barnaby, who were in the same room. Once Wild Tiger was released with mandatory Physical Therapy for his hands, both Kaburagi's were in the hospital, sitting next to Barnaby's bed and watching over him. The first week he was given sedatives for the pain and was rarely lucid. After that they weaned him off of the morphine bags and he was finally able to talk and remember conversations he had with others. He did not say much though and his voice was always just barely above a whisper.

When Barnaby was properly awake and talking to Kotetsu about their work, which was often, Kaede always excused herself to go get juice from the hospital's cafeteria. She wanted to say it was because those two needed some time alone to talk about work, but it was really because the young lady knew if she was around those two right now, she'd cry and scream and hate her father.

Kaede's first real crush, the Hero she idolized, was in love with her father. That was a low blow to her. She had to come to terms with it, eventually, but right now she just wanted to scream at how unfair it was and cry into her pillow. It was nothing she wanted Barnaby to see, so she just left the room to go wander and let them have their serious conversations alone.

It was during one of those trips to the cafeteria. Kaede saw Karina sitting there, staring quietly into a paper cup full of coffee that had long since turned cold. Tilting her head at first and considering the woman in front of her, Kaede approached her friend and said softly, "Hello Karina."

"Oh, Kaede," the blonde woman said in response, looking up and brushing her fingers over her eyes. Tears had formed but not fallen yet, and she had obviously been lost in thought. "What are you doing here, don't you have school?"

"No, it's the weekend. I thought I'd give my dad and Barnaby some time alone, y'know?" The chestnut haired girl gestured to the empty chair at Karina's table and the other woman nodded. "Are you alright?"

"I suppose so. Not really? Kind of." Furrowing her brow, Karina tapped at the edge of her cup, mildly frustrated at herself for not having a real answer to give the other female. "I'm sure you probably don't know, but-"

"You're in love with my dad." Kaede smiled a bit, clearing her throat when she saw Karina's eyes widen. "I know. I'm rather certain everyone knows."

"Including Kotetsu," Karina said sadly. The younger woman sitting across from her hesitated before she finally nodded. "I knew it. He's always been so kind to me, I'm pretty certain he only saw me as a kid he had to take care of."

"Well, my dad is a lot of things, thick headed being one of them, but I don't think he did it to hurt you, Karina. I don't think he was over my mom at the time." Kaede wished she had a cup of coffee to occupy her hands, too. It would've given her a way to distract herself from this particular conversation. As much as the young Kaburagi knew that her older friend liked her father, she was also aware that the aging Hero saw the woman with ice powers as nothing more than a friend and daughter-like figure in his life. Having this conversation with her friend was difficult already, honestly, without the target of Karina's affections being Kaede's father.

"I'm sorry," Karina said after a moment. "I know that I just had a crush on Tiger, I think I'm just in shock he and Barnaby said that."

"Yeah, me too," Kaede said softly, sighing and looking down at the table. Now it was her turn to feel the burning sting of tears forming in her eyes. "It hurts."

Several minutes passed in silence between them as nurses, doctors, other hospital personnel, and of course visitors got food, coffee, and whatever else the cafeteria offered. Both women were lost in their own thoughts and had inevitably spaced out.

Suddenly Karina said, looking up, "Hey, we shouldn't let this get us down. Why don't we go out for a girl's day? It's the weekend, so tomorrow you'll be free too since it'll be Sunday, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I think my dad has been threatening or whining at the nurses to let him stay with Barnaby. Maybe they just pity him because I'm pretty sure everyone saw that broadcast." The petite young lady smiled despite herself. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking of asking Nathan if he wanted to drive around with us. Pao-Lin should come too, she's spent all her free time sparring with Ivan lately and I'm worried about how it's affecting her."

"I think that's a great idea. I'd love to hang out with you all, if you'll have me." Kaede meekly looked down at her lap, a tinge of pink entering her cheeks.

"Of course we love hanging out with you! I'm going to call them now."

Karina took out her phone and selected a photograph of a bright pink pair of lips that had fire surrounding them. It rang a couple of times before she heard Nathan pick the phone up. "Hello gorgeous, what're you doing calling me? Everything alright?"

"Yeah Nathan, everything's great. Do you want to go out with Kaede and me tomorrow? We were thinking of having a girl's day with you and Pao-Lin."

"Oooh, how exciting! You know I can't turn down a girl's day! Now let me guess you naughty minx, you want this sweet piece of tail to drive you sweet innocents around?"

Karina bit her lower lip, trying not to laugh. Nothing got past Nathan. "You guessed it! But in exchange we'll buy all the food, alright? We're going to make it a full on day from morning till night so we're all too tired to remember our worries."

"Deal. Not that you had to offer, but I will be taking you up on it you sweet little delectable. Is that darling Kaede staying with you still? I'll pick you both up at your house."

"Got it. Eight in the morning, alright?"

"Oh how exciting. Alright, I'll see you both then!"

Karina hung up the phone and went through her contacts, choosing a cartoon drawing of a dragon with a staff to fight with and waited patiently for Pao-Lin to pick up. Honestly she was rather certain it'd go to voice mail, but finally the line connected.

"Pao-Lin, what took you so long to answer? Did you misplace your phone?"

"No, Ivan and I were sparring again."

"Oh jeeze. Kaede, Nathan, and I are going out tomorrow for a girl's day, you want to come?" While friendly, when dealing with the Dragon Kid, Karina was just a bit more insistent in her tone, Kaede observed.

"I, um, I suppose I could, but Ivan was going to show me a new move he's been practicing and I, uh-"

"You can spar any day with him, how often do we get to have a girl's day with all of us? Please, it'll be so much more fun with you."

"R-really? Okay!"

"Be ready at eight, Nathan's swinging by to get us all. He has your address, right?"

"Yeah, but I'll send it to him again just in case."

"Alright, see you then Pao-Lin!"

Karina hung up the phone and smiled at Kaede, who had been watching her anxiously the whole time. "Alright, we're going to go out tomorrow and have a blast, no men allowed! Come on, let's go tell Kotetsu and Barnaby so they don't worry you've been kidnapped."

There was a smile on Kaede's face that hadn't really been there since this whole debacle had started. She felt excited to be hanging out with her friends, even if there was still a tiny part of her that was certain the only reason the Heroes tolerated her was because she was Wild Tiger's daughter.

Walking back to the room together, Kaede knocked on the door and went in with Karina right behind her. The older girl bumped into the shorter one, who had stopped still, eyes wide. Peering over her head, the blonde woman realized what the problem was and backpedaled out of the room, the young Kaburagi on her heels, slamming the door on the way out.

Kotetsu was leaning over Barnaby, kissing him. His bedridden partner had his fingers in the older man's hair and was leaning up into the embrace. It was a very intimate and passionate moment, which had startled both girls. More than likely, their entrance into the room had taken the men by surprise as well, for as soon as the door slammed there was a loud crashing noise and two yelps of distress.

"Serves them right," Karina muttered, a blush decorating her face as she stared at her shoes. Kaede furrowed her brow, puffing her cheeks out in annoyance. It had been so long since she had a tantrum, but at that moment, she was about to explode.

"It's not fair," the young lady whispered. Karina looked at her friend and sighed, reaching over and squeezing her shoulders. They hugged for a moment or two before the door opened slowly and Kotetsu poked his head out.

"Oh, Karina, Kaede, everything alright?" His attempts at nonchalance were pathetic as his daughter and his coworker glared at him. "…Sorry. Uh- It- We… Um."

"I'm taking Kaede for the night again, and tomorrow we're going out with the girls," Karina said, a matter of fact tone entering her voice. "You and Barnaby have a lot to talk about, apparently, so keep an eye on him. I won't have my victory this year as the Queen of Heroes made too easy because you two dropped out halfway through the season."

"About that," Kotetsu began, but the bossy woman began to steer Kaede away. "H-hey, wait a second, don't you even want some pocket money, Kaede? Sweetie?"

"I have my own money," the girl nearly shrieked, covering her mouth right after and looking both perturbed and embarrassed. "I'll be home late tomorrow night," she added, rounding the corner with her friend and leaving her father standing in the doorway of Barnaby's room, looking awkward and unsure of himself.

"They'll be fine," he muttered, sighing. "The girls, huh? I wonder if that includes Nathan. …They might just call him so they can drive around in his car." With another heavy sigh, the aging hero ran his fingers along the back of his head, going back into his partner's room to tell him what was happening.

Kaede and Karina took a taxi back to the Lyle residence. The only daughter said hello to her parents, informed them that the girls were going out early tomorrow and would be back late.

"Just be careful," her mother said, smiling from the kitchen. Karina's father just sort of grunted and said not to get in trouble.

The two went upstairs to pick out clothes for the morning, idly talking while they went through accessories and hair styles.

"I can't believe they actually said it," Karina murmured, looking a bit down trodden. She was running her fingers over a pendant that looked like a small metal ring, brightly colored feathers and beads hanging from it.

"Yeah. I know everyone teased them about it, but I wonder when their partnership went from being heroes to being, well. Whatever they become." Kaede couldn't decide how to style her hair and was picking through a variety of scrunchies to find the perfect one.

"Did we give them the idea and it set roots in their subconscious? Oh no, what if the Heroes accidentally convinced them to get together?" The older female stared in the mirror, horrified, until she saw Kaede looking up at her. Their eyes met in the reflection and slowly the two began to giggle, and then laugh, before finally they were nearly hunched over from the effort used to try and quell the ridiculous noises escaping them, gasping and panting from how their sides hurt.

"I… I don't… I don't think… They're that… susceptible… To things like that," Kaede wheezed, trying her hardest to stifle her laughter.

"Definite… Definitely not… your dad," Karina got out, holding her sides and groaning, giggling the whole time.

"My dad is so dense… It'd never work." Finally laughter ebbed away into giggles, and then finally just little titters before it subsided all together.

"I know, I know. I don't even know what I saw in him." The only daughter of the Lyle family leaned against the desk that supported her vanity mirror, looking at her reflection. "Honestly, I think I'm too pretty for him." It was a lie she was telling herself at the moment to feel better, because deep down she knew looks didn't matter and couldn't care less how mismatched he was compared to her, or the other way around.

"You really are, he would've always looked like a creep next to a beauty like you, Karina." Kaede settled on a sparkling pink and silver scrunchie, starting the process of picking a hair style all over again.

"You don't want Barnaby anyway, Kaede. Have I ever told you about the first time we met him? He was such an arrogant and stuck up snob." Karina went through her makeup. She had a lot of it since she was focusing more on her singing than being a Hero, and many companies sent her generous sample packages in the hopes she'd wear them during her shows.

"Was he? That's odd; my dad never really told me Barnaby had been like that." Kaede leaned back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling and pondering what an arrogant Barnaby might be like.

"Yeah, that was before you knew your dad was a Hero though, right? It's not too surprising you wouldn't know, I guess." The conversation drifted lazily for another hour or so before the two took showers and dried their hair, sleeping on the same queen sized bed and continuing idle conversation as they drifted off to sleep.

"Are there any other guys you're interested in, Karina? Anyone at your school?"

"Mmm, no, there was one boy, but he's really not that great. Mostly just reads books and makes obscure movie references. What about you?"

Kaede didn't answer and Karina looked over at the girl. She had already fallen asleep. Letting out a sigh, the older female settled down, determined to have as much fun as possible tomorrow to help the two of them forget their worries.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: This is a completely new chapter I added in when I re-read the story and decided it was missing a lot of character development. I think a girl's day with Kaede, Karina, Pao-Lin, and Nathan is just what is needed to help give some background for later events in the story.


	4. Chapter 4

In the morning, Karina gently shook Kaede's shoulder. The younger girl woke up and let out a small groan. "What? Is it morning?"

"Yeah, come on, let's get ready. We don't want to keep Nathan waiting." The blonde haired woman sat up and ran her fingers over her locks, glancing at the clock. Five thirty in the morning. Just enough time to do her hair, makeup, and make sure they had breakfast.

Kaede looked at her watch and groaned again. Why were they up this early?! "Karina, what are we doing up right now?"

"Huh? With this we'll have just enough time to do our hair and makeup and make breakfast." The older girl was already out of bed and going to her closet, opening the door to pull out a bottle of leave-in conditioner. "Don't you wake up this early to get ready normally?"

"No, I get up an hour before I have to leave."

This time it was Karina's turn to be surprised. "Only an hour! What can you accomplish then except breakfast?"

Kaede didn't want to admit that the only makeup she wore tended to be a hint of eyeliner or lip gloss, and the fact that her friend needed two and a half hours to do the basics and make breakfast was kind of an eye-opener for her. _I wonder if Blue Rose's fans know she takes this long to get ready_ , she thought, slowly sitting up and trying to force the idea of more sleep far from her mind.

"If you want I can make breakfast while you get ready." Pulling her dark hair into a loose ponytail, the shorter girl slid out of bed and rummaged through the bag she had kept at the Lyle house for the last week and a half. Honestly, she was still rather uncertain about staying with her father at the moment. Wouldn't he want to spend his time with Barnaby, kissing and holding one another?

"Oh, are you sure? I can make breakfast in, uh, give me an hour and I'll be ready." The blonde had already begun to pull out some foundation to rub into her forehead and cheeks.

"It's fine, really! If you don't mind me using your kitchen, that is." At this point Kaede was teasing her friend, because she had been making breakfast most mornings. It was not unusual for the older female to sleep in a little; she went to bed late from either doing Hero things or singing, after all, and the younger girl was up just before dawn most days to help her grandmother anyway. The habit stuck.

"By all means, it's practically yours anyway." Karina smiled and pulled out a few different bottles from the drawers to start on the seven steps of doing a 'natural' look for her makeup.

"Alright, I'm making omelets then." The young Kaburagi went downstairs and realized she and Karina were the only ones awake at the moment. Even Mr. and Mrs. Lyle were still asleep. "Sheesh, did it have to be so early?" Opening the fridge, she started to grab ingredients, a lazy smile on her lips as she thought about how nice it'd be to make breakfast for the entire Lyle family, if for no other reason, than to say 'thank you' for letting her stay there for the last week and a half.

It felt like no time had passed by the time Kaede heard Mister and Missus Lyle coming down the stairs to see what smelled so good, Karina right on their heels. The college aged girl was dressed in a boho chic attire, with a head scarf and long, dangly jewelry around her neck. She had a knit bag over her shoulder and calfskin boots that came to just below her knees. Her makeup looked so natural that for a moment it seemed like she had none at all upon her face.

"Oh, good morning everyone. I made omelets." Kaede was just finishing the fourth omelet, her own, with green peppers, onion, and a bit of garlic in it for some zing. Everyone sat down at the table she had set and looked at how nicely it was all laid out. Toast, sausage, bacon, orange juice, milk; the girl had gone all out for this and even folded the napkins in an intricate and delicate looking way.

"You really didn't have to do all this," Mrs. Lyle said, looking quite touched.

"I wanted to! After all, you all have allowed me to stay here since my father's been in the hospital, it's the least I can do! Well, after dishes."

"I'll do the dishes," the woman said in response, and she wouldn't hear another word about it. Kaede went and joined them, eating quickly because her watch was informing her she had a half hour before Nathan was due to arrive.

"You should eat a little slower, Kaede," Mister Lyle said as he nibbled on a piece of toast.

"Sorry, I know I should, but I don't want to keep Nathan and Pao-Lin waiting." The chestnut haired girl finished her food relatively quickly, hopped up, thanked Mrs. Lyle profusely for doing the dishes, and darted back upstairs to get ready.

First Kaede brushed her teeth and styled her hair into a simple ponytail with the scrunchie she had picked out. A simple outfit was next; a black skirt, matching t-shirt, with a light jean jacket over it, rainbow ankle socks and her comfortable sneakers. She had her small backpack with her which held the essentials, and after putting on a fraction of the makeup Karina did, she was ready and down the stairs.

"That's what you're going to wear? At least it's comfortable," The blonde haired girl gave her parents each a kiss on the cheek, went to brush her teeth and adjust her makeup one more time, and then joined her friend by the door to wait for Nathan.

"Have a good time," Karina's parents said, continuing to eat breakfast and enjoy the feeling of not having to do anything until it was time to wash the dishes.

Right on time, there was a gentle purring outside the house. Karina opened the door and saw Nathan dressed in a pair of slacks with pink stripes down the sides, a v-neck muscle shirt, and a glittering pink jacket. He had on sunglasses and put them up against the dyed rose colored hair he had upon his head and waved at the girls.

"Come on in ladies, let's go pick up Pao-Lin!"

Karina insisted that Kaede sit up front with Nathan since she didn't get many opportunities to go for drives with him, so the slip of a young woman took the seat, buckled herself in, and smiled at the older male who was escorting them today.

"Thanks so much for joining us, Nathan," Kaede said, settling in and looking at the city as they sped through it.

"Think nothing of it, darling, after all, Karina said she'd be buying my food today." There was a teasing purr in his tone and it made the two up front giggle.

"H-hey, you wouldn't really make me buy all your food today, would you?"

"Sure will honey! But don't worry, drinks are on me."

Kaede said in a dry yet almost teasing tone, "You're the only one who can really drink though, and you're the driver."

That put Nathan out for a moment and he considered it. "You all need to grow up faster," he finally said.

"That's terrible to said," Karina grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Besides, what good would it do for us to drink, anyway? We already want to go out and have fun."

"True enough. Hang on, sharp turn." Nathan pulled a hard right and started to head down a different road. It wasn't long before they arrived at Pao-Lin's house, and she was nervously waiting on the steps, wearing a pair of light tan Capri's, a pale blue tank top, and a soft grey hoodie. She had been growing her hair out again and had the flower pin her parents sent her holding some of her bangs back.

Once all four of them were in the car, Nathan started to drive them to his favorite shopping mall. Four stories, almost every store imaginable, and they could spend several hours in there just trying on clothes. On the way, Kaede idly said, "If you three are out with me, and my dad and Barnaby are still in the hospital, who'll take any calls for Hero TV?"

"Well, well all told our managers we'd be out, right? So Sky High, Rock Bison, and Origami Cyclone. Plus it might give them a chance to show off the Second League Heroes." Nathan let out a small sigh. "Not that I want to give those three any chance to take the lead in the rankings, but I think one day will be fine."

The trip to the mall was enjoyable for all. Nathan found some new lingerie, Pao-Lin got another outfit to work out in and sneakers to go with it, Karina tried on a bunch of dresses, although she finally settled on a diamond chip bracelet, and Kaede just kind of forgot why she was mad in the first place.

When they had lunch, it was at a nice restaurant, with burgers and fries all around, milkshakes, and an order of onion rings in the middle to be split. Finally, at some point, Pao-Lin asked the obvious question.

"So what has you two so down we had to go out today?"

Kaede and Karina looked at one another and swallowed whatever they were eating. After a moment, the blonde went first.

"Well, I guess I needed some time out with the girls because it was kind of odd to see Kotetsu and Barnaby… and in the hospital… Uh…"

"Yeah, it's really crap seeing the man you've been crushing on, for like ever, making out with your dad." Kaede miserably took a couple of onion rings.

"Oh. Yeah that does sound pretty lousy, but did you two ever really like them?" Pao-Lin was sipping at her milkshake, staring at the bottom to see how much was left.

"What do you mean? Of course I liked Barnaby, he's so cool."

Nathan piped up finally, now that his mouth wasn't full of food. "Yeah, but did you ever tell him? Or hang out with him, like you do with us?"

"N-no way, that'd be so weird! I don't think he'd ever hang out with me! I'm just a kid!" Kaede laughed nervously, but it died off quickly and she looked at her plate. "Huh. Yeah, I'm just a kid after all. Barnaby was already an adult by the time I met him." She frowned and took a few more fries.

"I tried to ask Kotetsu out, but all he ever did was take me to some ramen shop and talk about Kaede, or Barnaby, or work in general. I don't think he ever even noticed I was into him." Karina pouted and slid a fry through some sauce, but didn't eat it.

"Did you tell Mister Tiger you liked him?" Pao-Lin poked her straw at the last little bit of milkshake.

"Of course not! He was so involved with work and being cool for his daughter that he would never look at me as anything except a kid to take care of!" Karina blinked and sighed, clearing her throat. "Maybe I should've told him when I turned eighteen. He might've at least realized why I kept wanting to spend time with him and stopped treating me like a kid."

With the two women mildly depressed, Nathan and Pao-Lin ordered dessert for everyone. Cheesecake and strawberries with lots of whipped cream. The four ate and enjoyed, for all of them had the same weakness for dessert.

After shopping they caught a movie, went and tried a variety of clothes on, had dinner, and went to one of the dancing clubs that all ages over fifteen were welcome to come to. There was no alcohol served in the establishment. With all the flashing lights and pumping beats, Kaede had to sit down after a while, looking a little tired.

Kaede watched her friends for a few minutes, but the noise wasn't helping her any and she went to stand outside for a moment on one of the balconies, staring at the full moon. Letting out a wistful sigh, she said in a tired whine, "When am I going to find the guy for me, then?" She received no answer and went back in, but everyone was still having a good time, even Pao-Lin, who looked like she was trying to treat this as a training exercise. With a wry smile, the young woman thought she'd order another soda, but someone grabbed her arm and covered her mouth. The music was too loud for anyone to hear her scream, and everyone was too busy dancing to notice a girl disappearing through a door in the wall that said "Employees Only".

Once beyond the door, she heard a dry voice in her ear. "Easy now, girlie. Don't want to scream and have anyone find us, or they'll just find your body."

On the wristbands of Nathan, Karina, and Pao-Lin, red alerts were going off. Nathan hit his first and Agnes's annoyed voice came through. "Where are you three, there's a kidnapper in your area stealing away teenaged girls and killing them!"

"Oh sorry sweetie, we're unwinding. Can't the boys handle it? We did put in our day off notices."

"No, they're on the other side of town. The criminal was last seen near your location, so get going!"

Agnes cut off the call and Nathan let out a small noise of annoyance. "Come on, let's find Kaede and explain the situation to her."

The trio went back to their table, but Kaede was nowhere to be found. Frowning, Karina saw her backpack with theirs, and after checking the ladies room and calling her cell, she began to get worried. Going over to the bar, she asked if the bartender had seen her, and he mentioned that a girl like that went onto the balcony earlier. The trio went out to check and gasped at what they saw.

They saw Kaede being dragged off down the alley and started to follow. It took a while to get back through the club, but they managed, chasing down their friend and the criminal. The problem was none of them had their Hero costumes because they were supposed to be having a nice day out, and their teams were well on the other side of town because it was the trio's day off.

"What do we do," Karina said, fretting.

"Close in and knock him out?" Pao-Lin was already moving to get into the alley behind the criminal.

"Good idea. Nathan, you think we can rush him and get Kaede back?"

"Of course darling, let's hurry though, none of us have any masks on."

With Karina and Nathan coming in from the front and herding the criminal into the alley with Pao-Lin, it didn't take long before he was backed up against the wall. Dressed in a button down that was partly undone, with bags under his eyes, and an arrogant smile tugging his lips back, the tall and creepy looking man held Kaede by the throat, a gun in his hand and pointed at her temple. She wasn't crying, but there was evident fear in her expression and posture.

"Give us back our friend," Karina shouted at the man. He just sort of laughed and shook his head.

"What're you going to do about it, huh? Wait for the Heroes to save her? They've been chasing my partner down for the last two hours and are on the other side of Sternbild. This pretty toy is coming with me, and if any of you try anything… Well, she'll regret it the most." He pressed that gun firmly against her temple.

"Oh, you just made the wrong decision, asshole." Nathan lit up with an electric blue glow, waving his hands and sending a stream of fire at the criminal's hand with the gun in it.

The intended target began to glow as well, grinning from ear to ear as the fire hit him, but he didn't make a noise. Instead, Kaede shrieked and tried to pull away from the man holding her. He held her tightly and had begun to laugh. Nathan stopped and the fire went out. The Hero looked a bit confused.

Karina wasted no time in trying herself, forming an ice dagger and hurtling it at the NEXT, and when it hit him, the girl he had in a vice grip let out such a noise of pain that they all stopped.

"Hey… I know I didn't miss him," Karina said, glowering at the ice that was sticking out of his shoulder. There was blood starting to form and soaking his clothes, yet Kaede was the one shrieking like she had been hit instead.

"Me either. I wonder… what his ability is." Nathan stood there, frowning with thought.

Kaede looked at her friends, wild eyed and crying now, shrieking at them, "Help me!"

"W-we don't know how," Karina said. "We don't want to keep hurting you…"

Nervously, the two stood there, while from behind, Pao-Lin leapt into the air, dragging her leg down and against the base of his skull. The criminal lurched forward, but it was Kaede who was knocked out by the blow as pain overloaded her nerves.

"Huh? Why…" Pao-Lin frowned, moving back a bit and studying the man.

"Idiots," he said, cocking his gun. "Now go be good kiddies and leave me alone with my toy." He began to move towards one of the doors in what must've led to an apartment in the alley, but Nathan lit up another batch of fire and encircled the criminal and Kaede.

"No moving until we figure out how to deal with you, sugar!" He waggled a finger at the man, but there was a nervous way about him.

"And who's going to stop me?" The man moved to step out of the fire, and Kaede was the one who began to squirm and whimper, not quite conscious yet, but definitely feeling the burns.

" _Stop!_ "

It was a voice above all of them, commanding and deep. It echoed all around the alley and drew everyone's attention, including the criminal. Lunatic was standing on the fire escape, staring down at them all. At least, his mask was. Everyone already felt rather tense around the vigilante, and there was nothing good that happened when he was around. Without their masks, the Heroes didn't want to do anything else that might reveal who they are.

"Ooh, even you've come to play with me, eh? I must be quite the popular guy." The criminal did a weird little dance, shaking his hips and laughing, but Lunatic took out his crossbow and aimed it at his head.

"You can't, if you do you'll hurt Kaede!" Karina shrieked at the masked man.

" _Once she is dead I can finish him. Sacrifices must be made_." A bolt of green and blue appeared in the crossbow's notch.

Kaede began to come to, groaning with pain and whimpering. She looked at her friends, all standing stock still while staring upwards. Even the man holding her was staring up, so she did as well. Lunatic was there, pointing an arrow at the man who had such a grip on her.

With a foggy mind and barely any time to think, Kaede shouted at Lunatic, "Shoot him!"

"No!" Karina was the one to shout this, which got the younger girl's attention. The captive turned and stared at her friend, horrified. "If he shoots that NEXT it'll kill you! Lunatic _only_ shoots to kill!"

Kaede glared at her friend, "So what?! Once I'm gone he'll be able to stop this man! He has a gun turned on me!"

"Yeah… Yeah I do, speaking of. I don't like my toys to talk back to me. Bye-bye, pretty toy!" The man laughed, and just as he did, Lunatic fired his deadly bolt. At the same time Kaede began to glow. The bolt hit the man in the forehead and he went flying back, releasing his captive as he fell into Nathan's fire. For a moment the chestnut haired teenager began to scream, but it quickly died off as she realized there was no pain. No fire on her. Her shoulder no longer felt like there was a dagger grinding against the joint and her hand didn't feel like it was burned. Her head no longer hurt, either.

Staring up with pleading eyes, Kaede reached out a hand as blue and green flames began to lick at her feet and legs. Lunatic jumped down and grabbed her since the fire was still going, and brought her up to the fire escape.

"Thank you."

" _I intended to let you die along with him. Since you did not die, I figured your friends could not help you out of my fire, and it would have consumed you next anyway. Innocents do not deserve to die, but sometimes it cannot be helped. Your death would have been unfortunate, but it also would have stopped a murderer_."

Kaede looked a bit mortified, but she took in a deep breath and swallowed. "Yeah, well… His ability was to give me his pain. So I gave it back."

" _You absorb other NEXT abilities?_ "

"I copy whoever I touch."

"… _Interesting. I will keep that in mind._ "

Lunatic looked over her shoulder to make sure there was just a pile of ashes left where he had fired his bolt, and then nudged Kaede towards the edge of the fire escape.

"Lunatic?"

The man did not answer and Kaede shifted a bit, looking almost embarrassed.

"Your fire is beautiful."

Kaede began to glow, but before it reached her eyes, the vigilante shoved her shoulders firmly, pushing her off of the fire escape and into Nathan's waiting arms below. She screamed the whole way down and stared up, gobsmacked, at the murderer. That's what he was, a murderer. For a moment she had forgotten, felt such a soft and tender spot for him because she remembered Mister Yuri, Judge Petrov, also had control of that fire, and she wanted to wear it just once more.

"Hey you freak, don't you know how to treat a lady?! Kaede, sweetie, are you alright?" Nathan held her tightly before setting her down, but she stared up at Lunatic.

" _You are not allowed to wield the fire of Thanatos's judgment. You would taint it_." With that, Lunatic left, blinding all four left with a bolt of fire at their feet, disappearing as they shielded their eyes.

Once he was gone, Nathan called Agnes and explained what happened. She sighed and let out frustrated whines about losing what would've been an _amazing_ show for ratings. Lunatic, saving someone?! She would almost kill to film that, even if after he could've seriously injured the girl he saved.

It was a very dour way to end the evening. Nathan took them all home, and on the way he made sure to take the longer and more scenic route.

"Kaede, sweetie, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Kaede was lost in thought, staring out at the lights of Sternbild.

"Are you sure? You're awfully quiet," Pao-Lin said, looking at the front seat.

"He could've killed me. And there was nothing you all could do about it." The words were out of Kaede's mouth before she really thought about them.

"We couldn't risk having you hurt like that," Karina said in their defense.

"So he would've gotten away, and been able to kill me. If Lunatic hadn't shown up, he would've taken me away to kill. Even if he didn't, he would've gone to jail, and then what? Gotten out on good behavior and started it up again?" Something was burning behind her eyes and Nathan wasn't sure he liked what was coming out of the young girl's mouth.

"Now see here missy, we are Heroes, we do what we can to protect all lives."

"Even murderers," Kaede said sadly. "Because even murderers have the right to live."

"They are to be judged for their crimes by someone like Petrov, not by us! We don't-" Nathan was cut off by Kaede.

"You all didn't want to do anything because you didn't have your costumes. You were more worried about people finding out your real names than you were with making sure I was safe. Some Heroes."

It was terrible of her to say it, but Kaede was scared and she thought she was going to die that night. If she hadn't figured out that the NEXT was transferring his pain to her and she might be able to do it right back, there was a good chance Lunatic would've killed her when the pain of dying was transferred to her.

"So what, you're saying Lunatic is right to make the call between allowing someone to live and killing them?" Karina was sounding pretty heated herself now.

"Maybe. I don't know. What I do know is that if he hadn't been there, tonight I might not be here now."

The rest of the drive was in silence. Kaede asked to be dropped off at her father's apartment instead of at Karina's house, and she stiffly thanked them for the time they spent with her that day. The next morning her father came home and they talked about what happened. While she calmed down and eventually went to apologize to the Heroes, something had changed about her, just a little. Enough that she knew there was a rift forming between herself and her friends.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: I wanted to do this chapter for a while, because I think a lot of it is important for the rest of the story, and it is the second insert chapter I have done, so it's all brand new in 2019! I really like the idea of a NEXT with the ability to make someone else feel his pain, and while I didn't get too much into the details of how this works, I think it was good for something important later on.


	5. Chapter 5

"Kaede, why do you have to go to this interview? I don't like the idea of you working for that gargoyle, he's so mean to your daddy..." Kotetsu pouted while he watched Kaede adjust her hair in the hallway mirror.

"It's a good job, dad, and it'd only be for the summer!" Kaede was excited. Now twenty-one, she was going to be in her last year of college, she was home with her father on vacation right now, and she was getting ready to interview with the Justice Bureau. There was an ad posted on the site she frequented saying that Judge Petrov required an intern and assistant to help with his duties and it was open to college students. If they did well, it may even lead to a full time job after graduation.

Wearing a dark charcoal pencil skirt that came two inches above her knee, a pristine pressed blouse that her father helped iron, neutral colored stockings, and one inch heels, Kaede thought she was ready. She toyed with a teardrop pendant on a fine silver chain, looking a bit worried. Her father knew that she was fretting about something when she fiddled with that necklace.

"What's the matter, Kaede?"

"Oh, I'm just worried about the competition. There must be a lot of people vying for this job."

Kotetsu thought about it. Judge Petrov had risen in the ranks and was a highly respected voice of authority now. He wasn't sure of his exact title, King of Judges didn't sound quite right, but he was... number one for judges? Something like that. Sure the exceedingly pale man had always been more powerful than Kotetsu was, even with his NEXT ability of Hundred Power, because not all power had to be physical. The aged Hero let out a slow breath and then smiled.

"That's true, but how many of those brats can boast Judge Petrov was their babysitter!" He winked and shook a finger at his daughter in a playful and teasing way. Her response was not a good one.

"Dad! That was your fault anyway!" Kaede suddenly blushed a bright shade of pink. She was very testy of late, and sensitive; it was hard for Kotetsu to know when he was teasing and when he was really setting his daughter off. He recoiled and stammered out an apology. He flared up himself though when he saw her applying lip gloss.

"Hey, that geezer doesn't deserve to see you all made up!"

"Every girl wears makeup to interviews! It's professional!"

They shouted at one another for a minute or so before Barnaby came in from the kitchen and smiled at Kaede. She calmed down and smiled shyly in return, saying she was going to get going so she wasn't late. The woman had a briefcase with her and took her keys, waved to her father and his partner, and then closed the door on her way out.

Kotetsu leaned against the couch. It felt like only yesterday that he had been making pillow forts here with his sweet little girl. Sighing heavily, he felt his shoulders drop. Barnaby placed his hands on the older man's shoulders and leaned down a little, kissing his temple. "She'll be fine, Judge Petrov is a good man and you know it."

"Hmph. Kaede's too good to be working for him; he should grovel and beg her to take the job." Kotetsu made an irritated face. Barnaby grinned in response.

The waiting area next to Judge Petrov's office was full of other students about to graduate college. Kaede counted three other women and seven males. She swallowed, thinking that her odds were slowly going down the drain. Surely Yuri would want someone more qualified for this job than herself? The women were glaring at her and she meekly stared at her closed briefcase. One had apparently applied makeup by the pound and smelled like she had bathed in perfume. Another looked sharp and serious, kind of like a perfectionist. The last woman seemed quiet yet calculating. They were all wearing blue, grey, or black, and none of them had a single piece of jewelry on. The chestnut haired woman toyed with her pendant and wondered if she should have worn her hair in a bun or something, leaving it loose around her shoulders and merely brushed now felt under dressed when compared to the other females.

The men all kind of looked the same. Suits, ties, and shoes were all different shades of black or blue, hair was combed neatly, and a couple of them wore glasses. They were sizing each other up and not a single person spoke the whole time. It was worse than a funeral. Finally, after what felt like years, the solid oak door opened. Yuri Petrov stepped out and Kaede perked up. He didn't look that different after eight years; his hair was a bit longer but still tied loosely with a ribbon, he was in another charcoal suit with a white button down shirt, black loafers, and a neon green and electric blue tie. It was the only color on the otherwise gloomy looking judge. He glanced around the room and didn't say anything, but his eyes met Kaede's briefly. He showed no acknowledgment that he knew her and her heart plummeted; she felt like she was on a quickly sinking ship and the only way to scoop water out was with a bucket that had a rusted out bottom. He didn't even recognize her, so her attempts at being friendly and familiar were starting to look hopeless.

Over the years Kaede had seen Judge Petrov every once in a while when going to visit her father. She had waved enthusiastically at him every time, but he would only quirk an eyebrow at her. She wasn't even sure if he remembered her and suddenly felt like a fool for thinking he would. He was one of the highest ranked judges in Sternbild, with the best reputation and respect from his peers. Why would he remember a silly child he bought ice cream for one day?

The hours ticked by. One by one, each person went into the office, did their interview, and left looking confused, angry, or disappointed. Not a single person looked happy leaving that office. At one point a secretary came around and asked if they wanted drinks. The woman said in a quiet voice, "I can't believe any of you would really want to work for that vampire anyway, he's so creepy."

Kaede bristled. She had spent a good amount of time with Mister Petrov... once... for the afternoon... but still, he wasn't creepy! She was about to say something when the door opened and another person left the office looking disappointed. Yuri came out a couple of minutes later and stood in the doorway, gesturing to Kaede, since she was the last one there. She stood and stiffly moved forward, fidgeting and toying with her teardrop pendant, swallowing and finding herself rooted in the doorway to his office. The judge looked up at her, an eyebrow raised carefully, as she said, "G-good afternoon, Judge Petrov. My name is-"

"Kaede." Yuri stood suddenly, looking a bit surprised. The woman had taken her hand away from her throat moments before, realizing it would be rude and unprofessional to be constantly fidgeting with the bauble, and forced her hand down to rest at her side. The judge was staring at the hollow of her throat where the stone hung, where it caught the light and glinted green and blue. "Kaede Kaburagi, daughter of Kotetsu Kaburagi."

"Yes! You... remember me?"

"How could I forget the girl that was arguing with her father in front of me, who I then spent the day with in this office eating sweets and getting sick for the first time in years?" Judge Petrov actually smiled, caught himself, and then sighed. He remembered why she was there, and it was not to eat ice cream until they became sick again. "You're here to interview too?"

"I am."

"Then come in, please, and sit." His tone was a bit cold as he gestured to a chair, and like he had done with everyone else, went to the door and closed it quietly. He returned to the tall backed chair behind his desk, sat down, picked up his fountain pen, and began to write something on a piece of paper. "They told you I need an assistant?"

"That's what the job posting said, yes."

"Well, they are wrong. I do not need an assistant. I am doing fine on my own. But I have been here ten years or so and they are forcing me to get one. They say that all senior staff of my caliber should have one and I have a budget for one. So, if you wish to work for me, there will be very little to do, the pay will be far greater than anything else you will encounter for an internship, and you will have to put up with my face daily. Does that sound agreeable to you? My hours are long, far longer than anyone else's here, and you will be expected to stay here the whole time."

Kaede didn't really think about it, she just said, "I'd be happy just working for you, Judge Petrov."

Yuri looked up and blinked. He had given similar talks to the other students. They had rattled off their recommendations from stuffy professors who hadn't left the confines of the schools they taught in for twenty odd years, why they wanted to study at the Justice Bureau, that sort of thing. Kaede hadn't brought any of that up. She just said she wanted to work for him. It almost caused a bit of warmth to creep into his cold gaze, but he maintained that distant, detached expression.

"Hm. Be that as it may... You are a NEXT, are you not? Didn't you try to become a Hero, attempt to walk down the same path your father did?"

Kaede felt her cheeks grow warm and looked at her lap for a moment. She looked up, saying as she did, "I tried, but they said that I cannot become a Hero because my power is to steal from another and use it as my own. All I had to do was touch someone, take their power, and get to the scene first; I'd steal the arrest just like I stole their power..." The young woman looked a bit misty eyed. It was at her father's instance that she apply to be a Hero, but honestly, ever since that night she had gotten caught by a criminal and the Heroes hadn't been able to save her, Kaede had been losing interest in joining Hero TV's regular line up. That rift they had forming had only grown over the years. While the budding young woman still saw everyone, her visits were less frequent and she was always a bit on guard in case anything peculiar happened again.

Yuri sighed. He knew. He had already read the report when it was brought to his attention four years ago. He had thought she was a wielder of ice like Blue Rose, but that night five years ago he learned what her true ability was; a chameleon type. Very rare, but for something like Hero TV, not great unless they wished to get into drama and politics on the screen, the latter being bad for ratings right now.

"Then wouldn't it be fitting if you took a job with the judge that doled out punishments to the Heroes? Damage fines, legality issues, cheating... achieving criminal status?" He narrowed his eyes. One season, four years ago, a Hero that had been brought in as a new recruit did something no other Hero had done. He was different. He had passed all the background checks, psychological exams, training to be on Hero TV, but when he was put on a case... He killed the criminal. The Hero became the criminal and the other Heroes had to arrest him. It was very unfortunate and it made the application, the paperwork, the tests, all of it that much more difficult to pass since. It was hard enough tracking down Lunatic to catch, if Heroes started to kill the criminals they were trying to arrest, it would turn the show into a legal debacle.

"Huh? You think I'd want to do that to other people? The thought never crossed my mind." Kaede looked at Judge Petrov with wide eyes, honest surprise on them. There might be a rift in her friendships with the Heroes, but it wasn't anything so bad as for her to want to allow any harm to come to them! The judge relaxed a bit. This was Wild Tiger's daughter, she was as trusting, honest, and open as he was... She'd never think of extracting revenge on anyone, she probably didn't even feel bad she had been denied the path of becoming a Hero. Naturally he had no idea she had slightly tense relationships with the Heroes, but he was vaguely aware that she had been involved in an incident with Lunatic some years ago, leading to his discovery of her chameleon ability.

"No, you are too kind to think of something like that, Kaede... My tests are not as numerous or as mind numbing as the ones for Hero TV. I would like to offer you a summer internship with me." Yuri rose, the corners of his mouth twitching vaguely upwards. "Your father is retiring this week, is he not?"

"Yes, he is. Are you going to his retirement party?"

"Of course, it is expected of me. Will you take my offered job?"

"Really? You really want me?"

Mister Petrov stared at Kaede evenly, saying in a gentle tone, "Yes, I do."

With a small blush forming from hearing anyone say that to her, the young woman beamed up at the pale man. "Then yes!"

"Wonderful. Do you still enjoy teasing your father?"

Kaede giggled. "Yes, sometimes."

"Wonderful. Then let us go dress shopping."

"Eh?"

"I have something in mind that I think will render mister Kaburagi speechless for the evening. It could be quite amusing." There was a small grin that showed very briefly before he cleared his throat and it was gone. "Plus I could use someone to get frozen yogurt with, and it would constitute as a celebratory dinner for welcoming you to your internship."

The small smile that Yuri wore had Kaede smiling in return, grinning in a silly sort of way. What an odd man with an obvious sweet tooth! Almost teasingly, feeling as relaxed around him as she did when she had been a child, the woman nodded. "That sounds nice! I haven't had lunch yet, honestly." Plus any chance to annoy her father was often welcome, especially now that she was an adult and she was supposed to be a mature grown up now.

"Excellent. Let me tell Gina and I can discuss the job with you then, Miss Kaburagi." Yuri opened his door and left with his new intern, walking next to her and even offering her the tiniest of smiles. Rumors at the Justice Bureau had died down over the years to settle into the vampire and workaholic loner sets, but this just threw the gossiping women for a turn. Judge Petrov, going for a meal? Outside? With his new intern? He had a kitchenette in the room attached to his fancy private office with a stocked fridge, what brought him outside of his ivory office to be around the commoners?

The gossip was a hot topic for that afternoon, but ultimately it didn't go anywhere because Judge Petrov did not return before it was time for everyone to go home. He had been interviewing interns for so long that there was only an hour before most of the desk workers left, so it was unsurprising he took a long meal break, he'd been at this since mid-morning without rest.

Yuri and Kaede took a walk down one of the side streets, fifteen minutes away from the Bureau. Letting out a small sigh, the pale man pointed out where they were going. "I discovered this place quite by accident two years ago on my way here one day when I was trying to avoid the crowd of people going in. They have a very nice green tea frozen yogurt with honey."

It was a small, out of the way shop that had a white and blue awning, two tables with small metal chairs around them, and a happy looking teenager behind the counter. There was a nod of recognition from her as they approached; evidently Yuri went there often enough to be remembered, or stood out enough that he was not easily forgotten. Either way, it was impressive to someone like Kaede, who blended in with the crowd and was swept away before anyone could notice.

"Miss Kaburagi, what would you like to eat? The Bureau's treat, of course." There was a subtle twitch of Petrov's lips upward and his new intern could only imagine the receipt that might be turned in for this. "Two frozen yogurts for celebration dinner". It made her smile in return.

"I'll have a pomegranate and blackberry wist, if you don't mind." The girl behind the counter nodded and glanced at Judge Petrov.

"The usual for you, Sir?"

Kaede's gaze slipped sideways just in time to see Judge Petrov's high cheekbones darken slightly in color. He had a usual? He really must frequent this place a lot.

"Yes, thank you." He sounded stiff and the woman with him figured it was because of embarrassment. She found it endearing, almost.

Once their orders were ready, the two took seats at one of the tables and enjoyed their frozen treats. Kaede's came loaded with all sorts of berries along the edges and a soft drizzle of honey over the top. Yuri got a green tea and honey mix, with wafers on the edge and a honey drizzle as well. For several minutes they sat in compatible silence, enjoying the warm evening air and the muted sounds of traffic in the distance.

"So what prank did you want to play on my dad?" Kaede glanced up at Yuri with wide, innocent caramel colored eyes. He stared down at her, taking a small bite of his treat and not saying anything for a moment.

"I do believe your father has disliked me a little more ever since you spent the afternoon in my office as a child." His voice was low, tone rather dull, but there was a small flash in his eyes that reminded Kaede of mirth.

"I'm pretty sure what my father was mad about was... um." Feeling her cheeks warming, the young woman took another bite of her treat and busied herself with politely eating instead of reminding the both of them she had kissed the man who was now her boss on the cheek.

Evidently Yuri must have finally remembered, for he too fell into silence once more and glanced away from the college student, looking almost sheepish as he did. Finally he said, "Right. That must have been it. He is very protective of you, you know."

"I know he is."

"Which is why I think it might be fun to have a small joke at his expense during his retirement party."

A hint of mischief showed in Kaede's eyes as she squinted a bit up at Judge Petrov. "Why, Judge, I never knew that you liked to tease my father."

"I would never dream of it. Except, I think just once, I'd like to see him speechless so that the rest of us may enjoy a quiet party." Yuri glanced down at his new assistant and then cleared his throat. "After all, he's been quite a problem to me since the day I met him. This might be the last chance I get to do something this... impulsive."

That was odd. It was a wonder to Kaede in that moment why Mister Yuri did not do many impulsive things, and the way he phrased it, he made it sound as if he hadn't done much as a child either. She wanted to ask, but before she could, the man stood up, dusted himself off, and stared down at her.

"Do you have a dress picked out for the party?"

"N-no."

"Come along then. I know where to go for one."

Even more odd than his desire to play a prank on her father, Yuri Petrov was offering to take her... dress shopping? Did she understand that right? She had a bit of money saved up, but the college student didn't know where they were going, and only the most expensive shops were around this part of the city.

On the way, Kaede began to feel terribly nervous. She had read a bunch of fairy tales as a young girl and was starting to feel an awful lot like Cinderella right now. Just an average girl going to a fancy party, having someone provide her with a fancy dress. It was making her heart beat faster, because what if she found her prince charming there? A ridiculous thought, because she already knew it'd be people associated with Hero TV, the Heroes themselves, and family or friends of theirs who knew what they did, but still.

"U-um, Judge Petrov, I don't know where we're going, but I can already tell you I won't be able to afford a dress there." Kaede still had to think about buying her college text books for next year, after all!

Silently, Yuri stared down at the short female. About a head of difference between their heights, it was hard for him to consider her an adult now. Yet there she was, in her final year of college, as his new intern. That timid warmth was trying to creep into his heart, but he quickly stamped it out and rubbed his sole into the smoldering cinders.

"It shall be my gift. I know of a tailor who takes old dresses and re-purposes them rather inexpensively." The man decided to not add a tidbit about his home life, that he had been getting his mother's clothes there for the last few years, always trying to get clothing styles from her favorite years of life, since that was what she preferred. "Sometimes he works on my suits." There, that was true enough and wouldn't raise any suspicions.

"I don't think I can accept a gift like that, Judge Petrov." Kaede almost looked like she was going to pout, and for a brief moment he felt like slapping that look off of her face. It wasn't his own thought, but _his_ leaking to the surface.

" _What a brat, she can't even accept a gift. Ungrateful wretch, I should have let her die that night._ "

Yuri let out a small sigh. Thinking fast and pushing Lunatic's disturbing ideas far away, he said dryly, "If you are to accompany me to this party as my guest and assistant, I cannot have you showing up in your standard work attire. You _will_ match me on my level of dress, Miss Kaburagi."

That shut Kaede right up. Blinking dumbly up at her boss, she slowly nodded and fell into a thoughtful silence as they walked. He had sounded rather cold as he spoke, and it was hard to imagine him being gentle or even, dare she think it, _playful_ , but there had been the most fleeting moments when Judge Petrov seemed just a bit relaxed and even humorous. Teasing her father, for instance. It made the woman wonder if he truly disliked Wild Tiger, or if they had become the sort of friends who didn't ever really see eye to eye.

"Yessir," she said meekly in reply. The silence that followed was awkward and tense as Yuri lead the way down the street. He offered no give in his look of being the serious boss at the moment, making the woman that was now trailing behind him feel more and more foolish.

The street melted away to a few little shops and some apartments. They finally stopped outside of a small shop which had a few suits and dresses in the display window, and Kaede had to pause to admire them. Perfect stitching, elaborate swirls on the bottom of one dress, and there was a matching pattern in the male's tie the mannequin was standing with.

"Beautiful," she murmured, lost in thought for a moment. Yuri cleared his throat and the young woman straightened up, looking a bit embarrassed that she had been so distracted by the dress. Honestly she didn't wear anything that looked so elaborate. For a moment she was caught off guard by the idea of wearing something like that herself.

"Come along Miss Kaburagi, it is already late in the day." He was a wall of ice and Kaede crept along after him, almost hiding behind her boss when he addressed the man behind the counter. He had dark brown hair that was beginning to get flecked with silver, a clean jaw, and a well groomed mustache on his face. He was wearing a comfortable set of dress pants, loafers, button down, and a vest over it all. "Hello there Andrew. I have come to check on my suit and to have this young lady fitted for a dress to match it." Letting out a small noise of irritation, he stepped aside and in one swift movement, grasped the young lady's shoulders and drew her in front of him, his grip firm and commanding. "This is my assistant for the summer, Andrew. Miss Kaburagi, say hello to the man who will be making your dress."

"H-hello, Sir," Kaede mumbled, lowering her head. At a sharp squeeze from her boss's fingers, her head jerked up suddenly, eyes wide as she nearly snapped into proper posture. "Sorry! I'm Kaede Kaburagi, Judge Petrov's assistant for the summer! It's nice to meet you Mister Andrew!"

With a soft chuckle, the man nodded and came out from behind the counter. "I see, I see. You picked a lovely flower for your assistant, Judge."

Kaede felt her cheeks warming and she took a step away from her boss, who let her go. "It's not nice to tease young ladies, Andrew," Yuri said, rubbing at his temple. "Now, how is my suit coming along? Is it ready for a final fitting?"

"Of course Judge Petrov, let me get it out for you to try on. I think I have a dress I can modify for Miss Kaburagi as well, if you will wait for a moment." Andrew went into the back of his store when Yuri nodded, leaving the two alone for a moment.

The judge looked at his assistant and raised a brow slowly. "You need to learn to have some confidence, Miss Kaburagi."

Kaede let out a small sigh and lowered her head. "Sorry Sir. I will!"

There was a soft touch to her chin and the young woman lifted her head, staring up into the soft green hues of Yuri. He gazed down at his assistant and lowered his hand, the corners of his mouth barely twitching to indicate a smile. "Chin up. Back straight. Walk with pride and purpose."

The young lady was about to answer him, but Andrew came back out with two suit bags over his arms.

"Am I interrupting?"

Knowing she was blushing, Kaede moved back while Yuri straightened up and cleared his throat. "Of course not. I was just making sure my assistant didn't have anything in her eye."

Smooth talker, the young woman thought. She was mildly flustered by his cool attitude and stood quietly next to the man, looking a bit stiff. Andrew handed Yuri one of the clothing bags and gently nudged him towards the changing room.

"You go try that on, Judge Petrov, I need to make sure it is cut right. Miss Kaburagi, come with me." Andrew gently pushed and prodded the shy woman into a back room, this one full of mirrors to see what she was wearing from every angle. Kaede couldn't believe how many versions of herself could gawp at what she saw, and all of the visions of herself stared in awe at the dress the tailor revealed.

Floor length, the darkest shade of black she'd ever seen on a gown, with silver fastenings on the hips, a plunging neckline, and ties that had to be knotted at the nape of the neck. It was stunning.

"That... that will never look good on me," the woman said, shaking her head at the idea of her still mildly awkward and immature self wearing a gown that belonged on the red carpet.

"Nonsense young lady, you are to be Judge Petrov's guest for a party? Then you will have to look just as wonderful as he will. So come, try the dress on, I must see where adjustments are needed." Andrew left the dress with Kaede and stepped out of the room. He gave her about five minutes to admire and timidly put the item on, and then another five for a gentlemanly breadth. After that, he knocked lightly on the door. "Miss Kaburagi, are you dressed?"

A slightly muffled reply came from within the room. "Yes, but I don't think this is the right dress for me, Mister Andrew, Sir."

"I think I will be the judge of that," Andrew said, and then felt a hand on his shoulder. Yuri was behind him in his suit and had his finger to his lips.

The shop owner opened the door and Kaede looked up, smiling nervously. That gentle yet timid smile disappeared as she saw Judge Petrov standing behind the man, staring down at her with an unreadable expression. She covered her chest and shoulders, hunched over, and tried to hide her face all at the same time, letting out an alarmed noise in the process.

With a sigh, Yuri stepped into the room and ran his fingers over the side of his face. "Miss Kaburagi... I was going to see you in that dress eventually. Why not let me see it now? I will not have a meek assistant, and I am not telling you this again."

What was it about Yuri Petrov that made Kaede so nervous, anyway? Perhaps it was how calm and collected he always seemed. There was something so mature about him that she felt like a child playing pretend at being an adult in comparison, like getting caught trying on bright blue eye shadow and with her mother's oversized heels on.

"Now now, Judge Petrov, you really must allow the lady her embarrassment. After all, the dress is not finished yet, so it is little wonder that she is not ready for you to see it." Andrew was just as smooth a talker as Yuri, and patted him on the arm gently. "Go wait outside for a few minutes so I can pin the dress properly and without distraction."

With a small frown, the pale haired man did as he was bidden, rolling his eyes in the process. He knew he was being patronized so that his assistant could be allowed to feel embarrassed. They would have to work on that.

For the next several minutes, Andrew pinned the dress and made small mental notes of how to work on the dress that he had to take in. Kaede was such a slip of a young woman that she didn't quite fill the curves out as the original owner of the gown did. He stared at the twin slashes in the main black fabric that went up to the hips and frowned a bit at the gauze inserts. "Have to do something about that," he muttered, not liking how the shades of charcoal looked with the black this time.

When he was finished, Andrew left Kaede to very carefully get out of the dress. There were pins everywhere for adjustments and when she was done, the young woman half stumbled out of the mirrored room, looking like she had just woken up from a fairy tale.

"What do you think, Andrew?" Yuri was still in his suit and Kaede stopped to stare.

The judge looked fantastic, like he was a part of a really fancy black tie dinner. Although she did notice that the tie he wore was another electric blue and neon green one. It was a very bold choice for his dashing suit.

"Your suit is ready, Yuri, I'll just check for any loose threads and such, make sure there are no missed hems, but Miss Kaburagi's dress will take about a week to properly fix up and I'm not sure I really like the charcoal tulle that shows through. I intend to find a much more charming color." Andrew was already jotting down different ideas on a scrap of paper.

"Why not try blue inserts? They'll match my tie and be a bit brighter than more black." Yuri glanced down at the notes and raised a brow slowly at the color choices the tailor was thinking of.

"I'll see what I can find. Come back in a week then. The party isn't until the end of the month, right?" Andrew smiled up at the judge, who sort of grimaced in return.

"Yes. We'll be back then, Andrew." Gesturing at Kaede, Petrov made for the door. His assistant followed him, feeling more and more like Cinderella rather than the intern chosen to help Judge Petrov for the summer.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: This chapter got a lot longer than I thought it would, so I split it up. I hope you all like it so far!


	6. Chapter 6

Once outside the tailor's shop, Judge Petrov walked a little ways back toward the Justice Bureau. He paused when they were a couple of blocks away and turned to his new assistant, his cool gaze almost pinning her in place.

"Miss Kaburagi. Do you know how to dance?"

"Dance? Uh, well, a couple of folk songs." They were always reminded of those songs when she was in school for during the culture festivals. The slight tug of the judge's lips downwards was a clear sign that was not good enough. "But other than those, no Sir, I don't know how to dance." She could figure skate, however that did not seem like the same thing as dancing. Not the sort of dancing he was talking about, of course.

"I see. Alright then. I told you we would be having long days at the office as I keep irregular hours, correct?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. For the next two weeks, after my regular duties are complete, we shall have lessons in dance, posture, and confidence."

" _Why are you giving her so much attention?"_

It wasn't hard to understand why Yuri was doing it. To keep up appearances. He needed an assistant on his level, and while the other applicants might've been able to cut it, they had no personality and most of them seemed like incorrigible suck ups, eager to get ahead and learn nothing. Not that the judge particularly cared, but he'd rather have an assistant who he could bear to be around than one who was so insufferable he'd rather let Lunatic handle them one night.

It was quite a bruise to Kaede's ego that Judge Petrov intended to give her lessons for the next couple of weeks. Wasn't she supposed to be helping him and making his life easier? Once again she felt like a burden and her shoulders slumped a bit.

"Yes, Sir," she said softly, utterly defeated by him. She just wasn't good enough to be his assistant.

Pursing his lips and looking like he was about to reprimand her again, Yuri bit his tongue and just began to walk. Kaede hurried along after him, her mind clouded with confusion with regards to how to act around this man. He wasn't much like she remembered, and yet there were times when he seemed as carefree and humorous as when she was a child. Perhaps it was the difference between his working attitude and his private attitude. Or maybe he just really regretted making her his assistant.

At the Justice Bureau, Yuri glanced almost longingly up at his office. He had things to do, but they could wait until tomorrow. He looked at his watch and sighed. Almost seven at night. Peering at Kaede, he said softly, "I will be in my office tomorrow at seven thirty in the morning. I expect that we will be there until almost the same time at night."

The man really did mean they'd be working long hours, huh. Nodding, the chestnut haired woman stared up at her boss, and he offered her a tiny attempt at a smile. "Don't worry; most of my work is done by five. I simply have other projects I tend to after I am finished." He was on a salary, so it didn't matter how long he stayed at the office, he'd still earn the same amount of money each week.

Did that make Kaede one of his projects? After saying good night, she went to the nearest bus station and swiped her card, waiting to arrive near her father's apartment. It was in a nicer location now that he was living with his partner, although they compromised a bit so they were both happy.

When Kaede arrived home, Barnaby and Kotetsu were sitting on the couch watching a movie. She had meant to sneak past them, but both turned to look at her as soon as the door opened.

"Where have you been, Kaede? I was worried, you've been gone all day." Her father leaned against the arm of the couch, looking put out by her lack of attendance.

"I was at the interview with Judge Petrov," she responded, almost mystified that he had forgotten.

"For this long? How many people showed up to it?" The aged hero had more wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and a couple starting to form at his mouth. "So, when will you know whether that stuffy old vulture picks someone?"

Hesitating, the young woman toyed with the pendant around her neck. "Oh, um, I already heard, actually."

"Don't tell me he turned you down right there? That evil vampire, I'll give him a piece of my-"

"Dad! Stop. I got the job." Kaede bristled a bit at her father, about to tell him off for calling Judge Petrov a vampire and perpetuating the rumors that went around. "I actually have to find an outfit for tomorrow, I need to be there early." In a display of teenage brattiness that she hadn't shaken quite yet, the energetic woman went into her room and closed the door. For a few moments she could hear her father whining loudly that he just wanted to know about her day, but it soon subsided into soft murmurs. The two men on the couch discussed what the selection process must've been like and how strict Judge Petrov was, putting a long day on the girl right from the start.

Eventually there was a soft knock at Kaede's door and she opened it, wearing a pair of pajamas with moons and stars decorating the pale grey fabric. Barnaby stood on the other side of the door with a mug of water.

"Hello Barnaby," she said softly, always a bit more demure around the man.

"Hello Kaede. Is everything alright? You must've had a long day."

With a soft sigh she nodded, holding the door open and tapping her finger tips against the wood lightly. "Yes, everything's fine. Judge Petrov just wanted to go over what my day would be like and what was expected of me." There was a small furrow in her brow which did not escape the blonde's notice.

"Is that all? You look a bit upset." He offered her the water and she took it reluctantly, sipping at the room temperature water.

"Well, honestly… Judge Petrov wants me to match him on his professional level. I just don't think that's possible for me." Sighing, she began to toy with her dark hair.

"Oh. I can see that being a problem. Don't take this the wrong way, Kaede, but you will probably never match Judge Petrov on his level. And that's a good thing. He's very proper and gentlemanly, but you're fun and spirited. I don't see it being a problem for you to be professional and polite, but you don't have to act exactly like the judge, either. You're an assistant, not a judge like he is. Congratulations, by the way, on the job." Barnaby offered a small smile.

"Thanks… I should probably talk to my dad at some point. Maybe tomorrow, I really should be going to bed." Color was rising to her cheeks, realizing how much of a brat she was acting like, and she wanted to at least apologize to her father. He tried his best and it wasn't her fault Judge Petrov wanted an assistant worth the money they were paying. It was nothing to sneer at, after all!

In the morning Kaede got dressed and went to the bus stop. Her father was still sleeping after a late night of worrying about his only offspring, and Barnaby was out running before he went to work himself.

With a heavy yawn and a small grumble of discontent at being awake before six, the assistant to Judge Petrov tried to keep her eyes open so she could be chipper and ready to show that she could match her boss on a professional level. How she was going to pull off that feat was still uncertain, of course.

By the time the bus stopped a few blocks from the Justice Bureau, Kaede was certain she'd be able to show that she could be professional and proper. With determination, she left the bus, swearing that she would not disappoint Judge Petrov.

Going into the Justice Bureau, she walked up to the scanners to get in and stared at them. Yesterday she had been given a visitor's badge, and in all the excitement of being taken on as Yuri's assistant, going out for dinner and then dress shopping, the badge was still in her bag. There was no need to worry though, as a small crowd of awed people were milling about.

Yuri Petrov was waiting for her by the scanners, a tight expression on his face. As her cheeks warmed from embarrassment, Kaede hurried over, patiently went through the device, and lowered her head a bit to apologize to her boss.

"I'm so sorry Judge Petrov, I should've gone back and gotten the right badge last night." What a great way to start off the day, she thought. Head lowered and apologizing, again.

"It's alright Miss Kaburagi, I was the one who dismissed you last night. Come, let us get you a proper identification badge and then we can begin the day."

The whispers followed them through the halls. Judge Petrov was out of his office again with his assistant. Maybe it was a good thing the department made him get one, this was two days in a row he had been seen outside his domain for reasons that weren't strictly related to court hearings or meetings he couldn't avoid.

While they walked down the hall together at a crisp pace, Kaede glanced up at the judge. He looked relatively calm, but there was a tight feeling about his expression that she couldn't ignore. It was as if he wanted to be anywhere except out around other people.

"You didn't have to come meet me, Judge Petrov," she finally said in a soft tone so that no one could eavesdrop on them.

"I figured if I was there, it would be easier to convince the security guard that you were in fact my new assistant and not some stalker." He glanced down at her and for a brief moment, there was a bit of humor in his eyes.

"Are you sure they'd believe you? You're so important they may not know what you look like." A bit of playfulness slipped into the young woman's voice.

"That is true. They might have thought we were in on it together. I should step out of my office more for social calls." Yuri looked contemplative for a moment, but it was rather hard to tell because of how subtly he showed any emotions.

The tense atmosphere Kaede thought she had felt slowly dissolved as they went to the main security office and requested her ID badge. It only took a few minutes to get a photo that was acceptable and print it onto a blank piece of plastic, slip a clip onto it, and have her sign a couple documents regarding the nature and return of the item at the end of her internship.

Once that was settled, the two began to go up to the floor Yuri's office was in, two above where they held court. On the way, her new boss described the nature of her job, what he expected from her, and what she could expect in general. As he had said, there wasn't a whole lot to do. Observing his sessions at court, taking notes during meetings for him, keeping his office tidy, making food or drinks if he needed them, and running general errands for the man made up most of her duties.

In the elevator, a question that had started to creep into Kaede's mind finally managed to escape her. "Judge Petrov, does that mean you would've taken your assistant to Wild Tiger's retirement party, no matter who it was?"

The man glanced down at her with those pale green eyes, an eyebrow rising a fraction. "What do you think, Miss Kaede?"

That cool attitude and delivery had the college student blushing again and she looked away from him quickly, clearing her throat. He even used her first name, which he had avoided doing, she thought. When she didn't answer, Yuri smirked and straightened his posture, as if preparing for a battle on the floor where his office was.

It was a long and brutal day for Kaede, in the end. In between visitors and taking messages, the judge was trying to teach her how he liked things prepared, what foods he normally made in his kitchenette, and how he organized the fridge. There was a steady stream of visitors to his office all wanting to discuss cases with him, several attorneys that just _had_ to talk about something now, and even a couple representatives of Heroes, to discuss property damage. At least this week it wasn't for her father, she thought.

By the time five o'clock came around, the new assistant for Judge Petrov thought she was going to collapse. It was a good thing shoes with little to no heel were considered professional, because otherwise her feet might've killed her. They were tired now, but at least she had no blisters popping up. Everyone had left by that point and the offices were technically closed, so there could be no more visitors. It didn't mean everyone left. Many, like Petrov, were on a salary and had other work to tend to, so they stayed longer. They were the only two left on their floor though, and with a heavy sigh, the judge leaned back in his seat.

"Finally. Alright, how about some dinner, and then we can work on a side project." Yuri tried to smile, but once again it came out as more of a cringing grimace.

"Oh, of course. I saw that there was some food in your fridge, I'll make you some tea." Kaede moved over to the kitchen without another thought, determined to do everything right for the man. He let her go and closed his eyes for a moment, just relaxing as he listened for any odd noises or cries of distress from the next room over.

" _How lovely that you have an assistant, Yuri. She's so_ _ **cute**_ _._ "

"Shut up please," Yuri mumbled, opening his eyes and frowning. Kaede was charming, certainly, compared to the stiffs at the office, but she was still a child in his eyes. A clumsy, bumbling, immature child. He had a lot of work to do if he intended to train her to be anything more than what she was, or at least be better than her father. It wouldn't be hard to do, the face behind Wild Tiger's mask was as dense as they came.

Kaede returned to the main office with two mugs of tea. One had a spoon in it, which she placed on a coaster next to Judge Petrov, and she held onto the other, looking almost embarrassed about it.

"What's the matter, Miss Kaburagi?"

"Oh, I just don't think the first cup I made is any good, so I made another and thought I'd drink this one instead of wasting it." She ran her finger along the rim of her mug, avoiding Yuri's face.

"Hm. If you say so. We can begin our lessons while you drink. An assistant of mine should have the detached attitude I have cultivated at the Justice Bureau. These are not your friends; you do not have to tell them anything about yourself. They are colleagues and coworkers, but they are also your competition. If you give them an inch, they will abuse it until you're left jobless and wondering how you ever wound up here in the first place." Sipping his tea, the corners of the pale man's mouth twitched. "This tea will need a bit more work before it is good. Look at me, Miss Kaburagi."

Kaede met Yuri's gaze and held it. Her caramel colored eyes were wide and open, like an innocent doe's. His minty green hues appeared almost uninterested as he stared at her, making a thin line with his mouth. "You look like a child with that expression, openly admitting you don't know what you're doing and begging for help from anyone who'll answer. That invites trouble. Such a vulnerable look should be saved for your private life."

"Oh. Alright, um. I'll work on that." Kaede reached up to her neck to touch at the gem that hung in the hollow of her throat, but Yuri's quick words cut her off.

"Don't touch that. It is another weakness, your constant fidgeting with that bauble. Hands at your sides. Back straight. Head up. You are a lady, not a child hiding behind your father." His tone was cold and Kaede straightened up a bit, staring down at the sitting judge.

Slowly Yuri stood, coming out from behind his desk and observing Kaede. His assistant needed so much help; it was hard to figure out where to start. The reason for his help was obvious, of course. He couldn't have anyone near him that was a hindrance or made him look bad. So Petrov circled the young woman who was to help him, pondering the whole time what to do about her. She didn't have terrible posture. The woman lacked the stiff upper lip, the uncaring gaze in her eyes, the second skin that was required to ignore anything that was said to or about her in the offices. Since she was Judge Petrov's assistant, there would no doubt be plenty of things said about her. Or to her.

"Alright. I want you to imagine you have to go save your father. But he made you really mad right before he got captured in the middle of a special dinner you two were having. You're furious at whoever took him because they got in the way of your special meal." Petrov watched his assistant try to reason that scenario out. She had a frustrated look in her face for a few moments before her brow smoothed and she could imagine it.

She was having a specially planned meal with her father. He had specifically taken the day off just to spend it with her. After arriving a little late to the movie and walking around one of the malls, they finally decide to get something to eat. As he's ordering his food, someone breaks the window open and kidnaps him, screaming about how Wild Tiger ruined his life. Her meal is ruined, as is the day. Setting her mouth into a firm line, Kaede glowers a bit at the imaginary villain and furrows her brow.

"That's the look. I want you to wear that look, maybe with a smoother brow. The innocent expression is charming, but it does not look good on someone who is working with me." Yuri offered a small grimace to his assistant. "Now, about your dancing."

Oh no. Yuri wanted Kaede to dance and she had no idea how to. Swallowing, the woman stood stiffly and tried to maintain that serious look on her face, but it just looked so peculiar that the man glanced away, covering up a small laugh with a cough.

"Relax, Miss Kaburagi. We can work on your composure another time. I need to see how adept you are at dance to find out how much work we will have to do so that you may accompany me and not embarrass me at this party."

" _Such a smooth talker, Yuri. Way to charm the ladies._ "

Pursing his lips firmly, he tried to ignore the voice teasing him inside of his head. Holding his hands up before him, the tall and lanky man waited for Kaede to put her fingers over his. Finally she did, once she put her mug of tea down, after much hesitation and with a new blush on her cheeks. Once she had placed her hands properly on his, Petrov spun her around slowly, bringing her back into place and guiding her through several basic steps. He started with the simplest dance one could learn; the box waltz. She was not terrible at it, but the man knew he'd have to teach his assistant how to dance gracefully after work was finished most nights so that they could play this little prank on her father.

"Alright, not too bad. You need to relax though so that your movements and motions can be fluid, as gentle as flowing water and soft as silk. I think we will work on that, and everything else should fall in line."

"You know a lot about dancing, Judge Petrov." Kaede stared up at him with a curiously soft expression on her face. He grimaced down at her, no hint of a smile in this expression.

"Yes, well. One must keep up appearances, and I have been dragged to a lot of silly parties like this over the years." Too many involved the next best version of ballroom dancing, where everyone did a shambling box waltz or attempted a military march. It was always a pathetic display.

For a moment those warm caramel colored eyes stared up into his, and soft pink lips parted in what was going to be a question. Losing her confidence and faltering, Kaede never asked the question and instead cleared her throat, glancing away quickly from her new boss.

"I think that is enough for the night," Petrov said, releasing the woman's fingers. "Tomorrow you will be here at the same time and we will continue with your education in regards to working at the Justice Bureau."

Honestly, if it involved dancing and fancy dresses, it sounded like a fairy tale, Kaede thought as she gathered her bag and cardigan from the coat rack. "Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

"Come. I'll walk you down at least." Again he looked longingly at his desk, knowing Lunatic had work to do, but it could also be completed at home on his own computer. Yuri simply preferred the privacy of his office; it meant he did not have to worry about his mother interrupting him.

It was a quiet bus ride back to the apartment. This time when Kaede opened the door, she closed it and looked for her father. He was sitting on the couch again, trying to play some video game Ivan had given him to see if he'd enjoy it. At the moment, he was losing very badly to Barnaby.

"I'm home," Kaede said softly, setting her bag down on a small table near her room. "What are you two playing?"

"Invasion of the Centipedes," Barnaby said coolly, a small smirk on his face. "Kotetsu is terrible at it, though."

"Huh, really? Want some help, dad?"

"No, I am doing fine, thank you very much! It's all a part of my strategy!"

Kaede went to an armchair near the couch and sat down in it, watching her father lose several games to his partner. After a few moments of him staring at the losing screen, she said in a soft tone, "Sorry I didn't want to talk about work yesterday."

"It's alright. Is it alright? Do you like working with the Judge?" Kotetsu sat back on the couch while Barnaby turned the game off.

"It's… Interesting. I'm learning a lot; Judge Petrov is a very kind and patient man." It was almost like he was handling a child, she realized, and felt a pain in her heart. Did he see her as a child, then? That was frustrating, but unavoidable.

"Huh, he was never patient with me," Kotetsu complained, scratching at his head. "You're coming to my retirement party, right Kaede? You'll be my date?"

"Isn't Barnaby supposed to be your date? Jeeze dad… I'll be going, but I've got my own date." Kaede scowled a bit and looked away from her father. There was a faint touch of pink to her cheeks, mostly because she wasn't about to tell the man her date was her boss.

"Eh? Eh?! Who's your date? Introduce me to them so I can put the fear into their heart!" Jumping up, the sable haired man stomped around and held his hands up in what he must've thought represented tiger paws.

"Oh quit it, your little act wouldn't scare a fly, let alone the person I'm going with." Kaede began to laugh, despite herself.

"Huh, really? That's too bad, but must be one brave man if he wants to tangle with Wild Tiger's daughter!" Smirking smugly, he puffed his chest out and put his hands on his hips. "So what's the gargoyle like in his office? Does he just eat sweets all day and sigh while staring out the window?"

"…What kind of image do you have of Judge Petrov? He isn't a depressed high school girl." While she couldn't deny the man had a major sweet tooth, considering she had found five jars of natural honey in his cabinets, there was nothing that'd convince her Yuri Petrov sat around sighing and staring out windows.

"Hnf, could've fooled me. Now then, do you want some dinner? You can tell us about work over some curry." Wandering towards the kitchen, he checked on the food, which was cooking in the crock pot someone gave them as a housewarming gift.

"That sounds great. Thanks, Dad."

For the next week, Kaede woke up around five thirty in the morning, took a shower, blow dried her hair, got dressed, made sure she brought food with her, and went to the bus stop. She arrived at the Justice Bureau around seven fifteen most mornings, swiped her badge, and went up to make Judge Petrov his tea, making sure to stir in a large spoonful of honey each time. He was always in his office by the time she got there, and they started to fall into a routine.

After tea, he'd make sure his papers were in order for meetings, check his calendar for any new appointments, and then go to get ready for his time in court. While he was getting dressed and trying to get his hair under control, Kaede cleaned up his office and tidied anything out of place. There really wasn't much to do, honestly. Once ready, they'd walk down to the court room together, breaking off at one of the last hallways. Judge Petrov went to the back entrance to the large room, while his assistant went to the front and took a seat near the jury, a notebook in hand. She took notes on everything she saw, leaving it in the bottom drawer of her boss's desk at the end of the night and locking it up. They'd break for lunch, which was often had in his office while he worked on a few personal projects, and she practiced her serious and professional attitude. The more the two were around each other, the easier it was for her to mimic Judge Petrov. It came in handy when she was running errands for him in the afternoons. A lot of people tried to talk to her, but she gave them cool responses and the same quiet stares he did. It was slightly off putting and many people began to leave her alone.

When they were done with work around five in the evening, Yuri instructed his assistant in dance and told her how he thought she was doing with her tasks that he was giving her. For the most part, she was a bright and adept woman who was learning quickly. It relaxed him a bit to see her catching on so quickly and made the lessons more enjoyable.

At the end of the week, Yuri looked up from his computer at five in the evening. Kaede was sitting on the couch, relaxing while she looked over some notes she had written earlier in the week, trying to make them more organized. The man smiled to himself. This week had become quite enjoyable for him and he found that he did not wholly hate having the young woman as his assistant. True, he would've preferred to be alone, but now that she was here, he was glad that she had applied. If he had been stuck with anyone else he was not sure he'd be able to stomach their presence constantly.

"It's about time we leave for the day, Miss Kaburagi."

"Oh? But it's only five."

"We have to go pick up your dress."

That line alone was enough to shut Kaede up for a moment. She stared with such a determined look at her notebook that Petrov was sure it was going to burst into flame. He let out a dry chuckle.

"I'm sure it will look lovely on you."

"That- that's not the point!" For a moment her cheeks darkened in color and she groaned quietly to herself.

"Then what is? Let's go pick up your dress and my suit." Judge Petrov stood and held out his hand for the notebook she was holding and put it away when it was handed over, locking it in the drawer at the bottom of his desk.

Slowly they made their way down to the first floor, both standing a bit rigid, no idle chatter, and the duo sporting rather bored, uninterested looks. It dissuaded anyone who was still loitering from addressing either person because they seemed like they had something more important to do at the moment.

Once out of the Justice Bureau, the pair walked to the dress shop and opened the door. This time Kaede wasn't so meek and Yuri wasn't constantly rubbing at the side of his face or sighing. Andrew looked up, a pencil in his mouth, and smiled at them.

"Welcome back Judge Petrov! Miss Kaburagi. Judge, your suit is all ready to be picked up. Miss Kaburagi, please come try on your dress." Andrew was quick to sweep Kaede away from her boss this time, ushering her and her dress into the room of mirrors and leaving her there for a few minutes.

"Mister Andrew? What if it doesn't fit?"

"Nonsense my dear. Try it on and let us see how it looks." Turning to Petrov, he said, "And you should put on your suit, Sir. I want to see you two together to make sure the clothes match as well on the people as they do on the hangers."

"You just want to see us looking nice," Yuri said in a dry tone, but there was a small hint of a smile on his lips as he took his clothing bag into another room to get dressed.

Judge Petrov was the first to emerge from the changing room, adjusting his tie and glancing at a mirror to try and pull a bit more of his hair into place. Those bangs were always in the way and it was becoming an ever persistent problem. When the latch of the door was heard, he looked up and paused.

Kaede exited the room, the lights reflecting on the mirrors and illuminating her. The black dress that she had so desperately tried to hide from him last week looked beautiful on her when she stood straight and put her shoulders back, as they were now. Her chestnut colored hair dragged his gaze down to where the dress itself began, that plunging neckline distracting him for a moment before quickly moving on. The silver fastenings on top of her hips added in making her legs look especially long, giving her a tiny waist and yards of material that flowed like a princess's ball gown around her feet.

"Turn," Yuri said in a slightly hoarse voice. How peculiar, he had never cared what a woman wore before. But Kaede did as she was told, and as she slowly spun, the rich noir fabric separated and showed off the electric blue inserts that matched his tie. After a moment Petrov nodded and cracked a faint smile. "I think we will have to pick up your accessories next. How do you feel about having your hair up?"

"Oh, you can't get me more things, Judge Petrov, this dress is already too beautiful for me."

"Nonsense. It matches me and you are finally starting to look like you could belong on my level. It is wonderful, Andrew." Judge Petrov bent a bit at the waist, demonstrating a gentleman's bow that his assistant hadn't seen in years. The tailor let out a wry chuckle and waved a hand lightly.

"You two, stand together. I want a photo before you go."

Yuri let out a sigh. "Egotistical tailor," he muttered, but it was with good humor. Who wouldn't want to have a photo of the work they've accomplished on the people the clothes were intended for? Still, he went over and stood next to Kaede and let the man direct the both of them. One hand on her lower back, which caused her to arch slightly and drop her shoulders a little more, head straight, with her fingers laying on top of his palm, the other elbow bent as if she was going to pick her skirt up.

Andrew took a few photos, altering the poses slightly until Yuri was left with his head tilted slightly down, as if whispering into Kaede's ear. Her head was not quite turned towards whatever it was he was saying. The last photo the man took of the couple, Kaede's eyes widened and her cheeks were bright pink.

Kaede got changed, as did Yuri, and the man paid for their outfits. He refused to let his assistant see how much he had spent, and thanked the man for doing such exquisite work. After, he brought Kaede to a large shoe store to get fitted for something that matched the gown, settling on simple black pumps with a silver line along the bottom edge, and finally he took her to a jewelry store and purchased a set of aquamarine clips for her hair.

At the end of the night Yuri said goodnight to his assistant and asked if she was sure she could get home alright. At her insistence he let her go on the bus, and she took a seat, holding her bags and still blushing a little. It was curious what he whispered in her ear.

"You look beautiful in that dress."

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: So this chapter was just supposed to be an extension of the next chapter, and then it got so long that now it's a whole chapter by itself. I am both wildly impressed and highly annoyed with myself because this "expanding" is already almost as long as the original story.


	7. Chapter 7

Barnaby slid his fingers through Kotetsu's hair, fixing it with a bit of gel and making him look presentable. The two were in tuxedos, standing behind a thick velvet curtain and listening to the content murmuring hum that was coming from the hotel's grand ballroom. Wild Tiger had been working with one minute of Hundred Power for the last eight years, but he finally decided that it was time to retire and this was his party. Rock Bison had retired with a lovely benefits package a few years ago, Sky High graciously bowed out from the Hero gig last year, having lost the title King of Heroes for the sixth year in a row, and now there were new Heroes coming in to replace those who had left. Fire Emblem stayed in the game because he said he liked being there and it made him feel young. Plus, he added, he gets to hang out with the girls. Also, someone had to show the kiddies how to play the game. Blue Rose and Dragon Kid were still very good friends. They acted together in various mini-series alongside one another, hung out together at times, and went shopping with Fire Emblem often, as long as he drove his car. It was now a running joke between the three that Fire Emblem was only invited if he drove. Not that it always went that way, sometimes Blue Rose drove her car, or even Dragon Kid took them out. Their cars were not as fancy as the fiery Hero's, however, and whenever possible, they'd take one of his rides.

"Hey, did you hear Origami Cyclone finally asked Dragon Kid out?" Kotetsu grinned at the memory of the impossibly shy Ivan finally plucking up the courage to ask Pao-Lin out on an official date, instead of just being her sparring partner for the nth year in a row.

"Did he? And what did the little lady say?" Barnaby took a handkerchief out of his pocket to clean his fingers thoroughly from the gel that was going to make a mess if not tended to.

"She said yes, but she looked so surprised. Did she really not know he liked her?" Wild Tiger let out a sigh and shook his head slowly at how dense and slow those two were. His coworkers, who had all become his friends, had lives of their own and were growing up. He remembered when Dragon Kid was still trying to look less feminine. She wasn't as bad as Blue Rose when it came to fashion and makeup, but she was feminine in her own distinct way now. Not so obvious.

"How're Rose and Sky High, anyway?"

"I think we're having dinner with them next week, Bunny. Didn't you put it on the calendar?"

"Did I? Hmmm, I'll have to check." Barnaby grinned. Of course he had put it on the calendar, he was just being annoying.

"Bunny, you're so-"

"Oh, come on. I hear them calling us." Barnaby grabbed Kotetsu's hand and pulled him through the curtain. The tall, blonde haired man looked calm and collected at the applause and cheers, while his sable haired and older partner looked like he wanted to hide. It was always surprising to Kotetsu when people were happy with him. He normally messed up and broke things, but every now and then he did something that took everyone by surprise. He was forever Barnaby's partner apparently, and when he finally announced it was time to retire, the once arrogant and snide blonde said he'd be retiring too, since Kotetsu was the only partner he could work with and trust. Together they had taken down many criminals, many NEXT who were using their powers for the wrong reason, but something always bothered him. They could never, no matter how hard they tried, catch Lunatic. And they had tried furiously for eight years. But there were no leads, no hints, he would just show up and then disappear once his job was done. They even tried to set bait for him, but he was just too smart to take it. It was infuriating.

Several years ago, Barnaby and Kotetsu made it official that they were partners in work and in their private life. They were mostly quiet about it, and aside from letting everyone know, they barely acknowledged it in public. Tiger was old fashioned and a bit stiff, while Bunny was just shy about a relationship, surprisingly enough. He had spent so much time focused on work and his parents that he hadn't thought about dating or anything like that. Barnaby trusted Kotetsu, really trusted him, and they explored their tentative feelings together after that fateful day five years ago. Although the older man was reluctant at first because of Tomoe, even after admitting his feelings, he finally got a verbal lashing from his daughter that mom wanted him to be happy, and if Barnaby made him happy, then end of discussion.

"You know, Kaede's a lot like Tomoe, Bunny."

"She is, isn't she? Not that I knew Tomoe, but you keep telling me about her and I can see the resemblance. She's also a lot like you, Kotetsu."

The two smiled fondly at one another as they made their way around the ballroom to greet their guests, friends, coworkers, and sponsors, of course. One could not retire without profusely thanking their sponsors for taking care of them, after all.

Blue Rose was standing with Keith, who no longer wore his helmet to special events. He was happily involved with the twenty-something woman who was still a Hero, however her singing career was also going very well. She was featured in a lot of magazines that said she had the job, the fame, and the great boyfriend. She had it all. Plus there was the costume change, which made her happy. Her hair was still icy colored, as were her lips, but she wore blue diamond chips in her ears instead of the dangling earrings, and she wore a blue spandex suit with white knee high boots, the diamond tipped gloves, and a white belt. The suit dipped down so a good amount of the Hero's cleavage showed, she wore a Pepsi headband instead of the hat, and powder blue roses that looked like frost were stenciled in various places on the blue latex. Overall Karina was very pleased; she finally wasn't showing so much skin and her catch phrase had been shortened to "I'll freeze your heart before you can fall for me, criminals."

Keith was dressed in a nice navy blue suit, his blonde hair was styled back, and there were friendly crinkles at the corners of his eyes that became more pronounced when he smiled, which was often. He had his arm around Rose's waist and was laughing at something she said when Fire Emblem and Antonio showed up to join the conversation, the flame based Hero in his suit, while Antonio was dressed in a tuxedo and no helmet. He had no need for one ever since he retired.

Those two were another story all together. Fire Emblem had always teased Rock Bison by grabbing his butt, but no one expected them to start dating out of the blue. It was still new, only a couple of months, and they were rather awkward around each other even now, considering how quiet Antonio always was and how vocal Fire still is.

Dragon Kid showed up around the same time Origami Cyclone did, and they stood awkwardly near one another. Finally Barnaby and Kotetsu went over to the group to find everyone talking about life and work, among other things. Blue Rose smiled up at the men, leaning contently in Keith's embrace while she talked.

"Oh, Kotetsu, Kaede told me she got the job with Judge Petrov. Congratulations!" Their friendship had been a little strained after the incident with the NEXT at the club, but after a lengthy apology on both ends and a long talk, the two patched things up and went on an overnight trip to the hot springs outside of the city. Pao-Lin and Nathan went, although he did wear a speedo the whole time in the water, just to be polite. It was no surprise that Kaede had texted Karina that she had gotten the job as Petrov's assistant.

"Yes, congratulations, and congratulations again!" Keith beamed and Rose smiled at him. She found him to be sincere and honest, not like the boys she had dated and tried to date after she learned Kotetsu and Barnaby were together. That had stung horribly, but they looked so happy together. She tried to force herself to move on. Broken hearted and aching after yet another failed relationship that just wasn't going to go anywhere, she found herself wandering in a park late one night. She came across Keith who was sitting alone and they began to talk. He had lost his dog, John, after cancer had spread in the canine's bones. They talked for a long time that night about love, and he admitted he had feelings for a woman he barely knew once. Karina remembered, but she hadn't pried because he stopped talking about the woman shortly after mentioning her. After that they started spending more time together, and although she admitted she liked older men, she hadn't considered Keith because she thought he was acting like a perfect guy all the time and wasn't like that when he was alone. He wasn't any different after their third date compared to their first, nor the seventh outing, that's just who he was, and Keith's kindness and sincerity melted Karina's icy attitude over time.

"Eh, she could do better than work for that gargoyle..." Kotetsu huffed and pulled a face, but Dragon Kid covered her mouth and stared past the retiring hero's shoulder. The old man turned around and stared at Yuri Petrov, who was well within hearing distance of him. He paled and looked a bit panicked, but then he started when he took in the scene before him.

Yuri looked really nice. His hair was combed as neatly as it would allow, he had a fresh black silk ribbon tied into it, and he wore a deep noir colored suit, his signature tie under the collar. The suit itself was not loose on his frame and was perfectly fitted. Kotetsu never realized but Judge Petrov was very slim around the waist and had relatively broad shoulders. And he was tall! Really tall. The old Hero often forgot, being rather tall himself. Petrov's arm was bent slightly and a dainty hand was placed on top of the suit's sleeve, just below the elbow. Tiger's eyes slowly went to the side, looking at the young lady with the judge. She was garbed in a floor length black dress that had a slit up either side of her legs, which ended in silver fastenings at the top of her hips. Sewn into the gaps were electric blue cut outs that folded upon themselves and showed when the dress flared out. The neckline was deep and showed ample cleavage, the ties disappearing behind her neck. When she turned, Kotetsu saw that her back was entirely exposed down to the bottom of her ribs. Her hair was done up with aquamarine clips that kept intricate and delicate looking swirls of chestnut locks in place. Shimmering makeup showed on her face; silver powder was over her cheek bones and on her lips, with a small teal line next to her lashes on her eyelids. He slowly looked back down and his eyes bulged. In the hollow of the woman's throat hung a bluish green faceted teardrop that he'd recognize anywhere. His daughter had been wearing it since she was thirteen.

"Kaede?!" Kotetsu stormed over to his daughter and pointed at Yuri. "What are you doing with this gargoyle?!"

"Dad! Judge Petrov said he wanted to escort me to this party since it is your retirement party and I am his assistant." Kaede stood tall, but she was still a head shorter than Yuri. Kotetsu glanced down and saw the heels she wore. He glowered.

"If you would, Wild Tiger, please refrain from calling me a gargoyle in front of my lovely intern." Yuri smiled down at Kaede, who returned the look. It was just about that time that Agnes magically appeared, her instinct for drama luring her over like a moth to the flame.

"Ah, Judge Petrov, what a lovely woman you have with you tonight. Is she your girlfriend, or your long lost daughter?" The full figured woman grinned, her eyes half lidded with the mirthful idea that she was going to be annoying Kotetsu, which seemed to be on everyone's mind tonight. She had heard them, of course, and knew it was Kaede, although she looked a bit different and much prettier tonight than she remembered the girl looking before.

"Oh Agnes, she is neither. This is my new intern, Miss Kaede. She is quite charming though, isn't she?" Kaede shifted as Yuri pulled his arm nearer to his form and the woman stepped closer to his body in response. Kotetsu hadn't blurted anything else and the trio looked at him curiously. He looked like his brain was stuck on something, his mouth was open, and he was staring at nothing, twitching constantly.

"Judge Petrov, I think Ms. Agnes broke him." Kaede put her hand to her cheek and sighed, trying to keep herself from laughing too much at her poor father. It looked like Judge Petrov would get his wish and her father would be silent, at least for a while.

"I... I... Gi-gi-gir-l...Fffffff..." Kotetsu's brain couldn't handle it. He snapped and lunged for Yuri, but Barnaby grabbed him around the middle and held him in place. "You ancient gargoyle! That's my precious little girl, you get your claws off of her! I thought you were gay anyway!"

"Oh, were you coming onto me in my office all those times, Wild Tiger? I had no idea." Yuri showed a sly smile. The retiring Hero stopped struggling and flushed crimson with anger. Petrov continued to talk. "I assure you I have no fond feelings towards men. Although, tonight will be my last night to provoke you, so I must get a lifetime's worth in right now, shouldn't I? Miss Kaede, would you care to dance?"

The young woman looked a bit surprised, but she nodded. The judge led her onto the dance floor and placed a hand above the fastening on her left hip and held her opposite hand in his. He led her in a beautiful waltz, twirling her sometimes so that the dress's bottom flared out and the bright blue cut outs really showed. Agnes, Kotetsu, and Barnaby watched on curiously.

"I didn't realize he could dance so well," Barnaby said.

"Still don't think he's straight," Kotetsu snarked.

"I've never seen him smile like that," Agnes said. The other two looked at her curiously and then at Yuri. She was right; he was smiling warmly down at Kaede and the woman was beaming up at him as they went around in circles together. Of course a good amount of people in the Justice Bureau were shocked that Judge Petrov danced or smiled, but they quickly dismissed it as his attempt to butter up someone he needed to by favoring their daughter. Hard enough as it was to believe that the judge was dancing, it was even harder to swallow that the beautiful woman with him was the intern that had been hired two weeks ago. She was nothing like the awkward and slightly bumbling thing that had been nervously waiting in the interview room, nor did she appear to be as quiet and calm as the assistant that was constantly walking by Yuri's side or running errands for him around the offices. They saw what they wanted to see and marked his smile as a farce. The Heroes and Hero TV personnel that knew the two parties were all watching curiously though.

During the dance, Yuri's grip on Kaede's hip shifted and she tensed up slightly, but he glanced down at her and she relaxed, looking almost sheepish for a moment. He spun her away from him, never letting go of her hand, and drew her back towards his form, enjoying how the lights reflected off of her hair clips and lit up her chestnut locks over and over.

"Your dancing has improved tremendously, Miss Kaburagi."

"Thank you Sir. You're a very strict teacher."

The two smiled at each other again and continued to move about the dance floor. It was true, Kaede was as graceful as a butterfly floating on the breeze, and Judge Petrov led the dance as if he had done it his whole life. The two of them were stared at by many, and while no media was allowed in so that the heroes could enjoy their privacy, Blue Rose and Fire Emblem took several pictures on their cameras of the dancing couple.

"When she said that I wasn't allowed to know who her partner was, I didn't think it'd be because it was that stuffy vulture," Kotetsu whined to Barnaby, his expression somewhere between a pout and a glare.

"I'm not surprised she didn't tell you, honestly, knowing how you'd react. And she looks so grown up right now, like a proper lady dancing with her prince." Whether the blonde was trying to add to the fun of riling Kotetsu up or not, he had inadvertently added a bit of fuel to the fire.

"What? He's just an ugly vampire, stealing away my precious Kaede's youth! Look at her, she looks so pretty, but she's still my little girl."

"Well she certainly doesn't look like a little kid anymore," Agnes said, almost as if she was somehow approving the two of them together. The retiring Hero turned his glare onto the woman and started snapping at her to mind her own business and stop approving things she has nothing to do with.

At the end of the dance, Yuri bowed like a gentleman to Kaede and she curtsied in return. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, excusing himself to go make the rounds of greeting people he still had to "play nice" with at his job. It was not necessary for her to follow him here and he said she should go enjoy herself, since she was the daughter of one of the retiring Heroes. It almost slipped his mind that Barnaby was also pulling back from the Hero business, but then again, he did not have the blonde in his office nearly as often as Kotetsu Kaburagi.

Kaede went over to Blue Rose, Dragon Kid, and Fire Emblem. "The Girls" were back together. Although Kaede had never been allowed to be a Hero, they still treated her like one of them and spent a lot of time with her. Pao-Lin often spent weekends with her and they'd go to a quiet bar with Nathan and Karina, or just window shop together. They had gotten over the hurdle of Kaede's anger at nearly being killed in front of them, and then the group got over the problem of her being depressed that she was not allowed to be on Hero TV, even though she knew all the Heroes and had at one point worked with them. Sort of.

"Wow, Judge Petrov sure does know how to dance. And so do you, Kaede!" Blue Rose blinked wonderingly at the young lady. Somehow the young girl that admired the icy Hero had grown up and was looking more like a woman every day. The only trace of any childish thoughts lingered in the corners of her eyes, which were still rather full of mirth.

"Oh, yes, he's been instructing me for the last two weeks in dancing, it's very difficult!" Kaede's face was flushed and she laughed a little. Honestly that last week was almost a nightmare. Judge Petrov had not only instructed her in dance, but the reactions that were appropriate for his little joke he was playing on Kotetsu, and how she should act in general. It was very nerve wracking and Kaede never knew that her boss could be so particular about details like this. It added a bit of extra stress she didn't need, honestly, and her relief that it had gone off without a hitch was almost palpable.

"All week? Why?" Dragon Kid was sipping sparkling water and looking curiously at the girl. She was still naive, but she was sweet and honest too. It was hard to grow up as a Hero, which made it astounding that the martial arts woman was still so innocent about the world. The short blonde still believed in the good of all people and that Heroes were always doing the right thing, even when it didn't always look so good on the instant replays.

"He said my dad would get really wound up if he saw us together having a good time. He was right." Kaede giggled. It was really hard to pass up a chance to annoy her father now that she had gotten older. It just didn't have the same spark as it used to when she was a kid and punishing him for doing irritating things, like sneaking into her room to say good night. It wasn't anything bad, but it did annoy the girl, especially when she was in her teenage years.

"Naughty girl, that's why you two were doing that... Tsk-tsk." Fire Emblem wagged a finger at her, but he was grinning mischievously. He loved watching Wild Tiger get wound up; it was most of the fun of being a Hero. Plus, seeing Judge Petrov acting sweetly? He had gotten a great picture of the two of them dancing that he did not intend to delete any time soon. Why, it was so sweet he might set it as his wallpaper. Or send it to Kaede. Probably both, actually.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were doing it for more than just annoying your dad," Blue Rose commented, sipping her frosted martini. There was always something slightly teasing in her voice when she talked about relationships and she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to harmlessly tease her friend.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Kaede tilted her head and ran her fingers over her neck, trying to keep from touching her face and ruining her makeup.

"Well, did you always have that dress sitting around? It matches Judge Petrov's tie a bit." Rose gazed at the dress with a bit of envy. It _was_ gorgeous and fit the other woman perfectly.

"N-no, he had it modified for me..."

"And those hair clips?" Fire Emblem couldn't help but join in on teasing the little Kaburagi. He was also slightly envious of how good her hair looked.

"...He said they accented my hair and made me sparkle." Kaede was blushing by now. Repeating it did make the phrase sound silly, now that she thought about it.

"He's so sweet to you," Dragon Kid said, tilting her head. "He's always been nice to me, but he must really like you to get you those. Blue Rose says guys who buy girls things like-like them." While the martial artist was very sweet and sincere, she didn't understand how odd it was to talk about someone like Yuri Petrov thinking his assistant was anything more than some woman he slightly knew.

"I... it..." Kaede looked confused and took a step back. She was highly uncomfortable with her friends teasing her like this, because it made her think of things that she had thought were buried away. After she learned Barnaby was in love with her father, she had avoiding the topic of dating. In school a couple of boys had expressed a fleeting interest in her, however she had never encouraged their advances or just plain didn't notice. She was too wrapped up in trying to control her power and staying out of the apartment so that the new couple could have time to themselves. She was rather sensitive about being teased with regards to relationships because of her lack of exposure and experience. The other party being her boss brought up all sorts of confusing feelings on top of it, too.

Taking in a deep breath, the young woman moved a bit further away from her friends before she turned to go, saying as she did, "I'm sorry, I have to go do something." She hurried away, a mild look of panic on her face, before it happened. For the most part, she had kept her powers hidden and under control. It took a long time, but Kaede had mostly managed to keep herself from activating whichever powers she had borrowed last. Strong emotions or confusion could bring her power out, and she wasn't ready to find out which NEXT she had touched last. Her father and the other Heroes knew she was a chameleon NEXT, and she had a sinking feeling she knew what would happen if her powers activated right now.

Kotetsu watched his daughter flee the ballroom and was about to go after her, however Barnaby stopped him. "It's alright. She's just a bit overwhelmed. I'm sure the girls were just teasing her and she needed a breath of air. This is one of her first real parties as an adult, after all." The blonde felt a sympathetic tug for the girl, because he was a bit overly sensitive when he met everyone as well. They had all gotten along so well and he didn't have the friendly yet competitive bond they all did, so it made him feel even more like he didn't belong.

Agnes saw it while Kotetsu and Barnaby were talking quietly; Yuri Petrov was moving almost unnoticed out of the ballroom as well. He was nearly inconspicuous, but she had an eye for finding what did not wish to be found. It was what made her such a great producer and a lousy partner for anyone that thought they could be with her. She excused herself and very carefully made her way down the hall, following where she saw Yuri's shadow disappear. He moved quickly and quietly, she had to give him that.

Judge Petrov found Kaede pacing in an empty conference room. He watched her for a moment and then bit the inside of his lower lip as he realized what was happening. She was starting to glow. He had half hoped that she was able to control her powers better, but it seemed she was in a great amount of distress, although the cause was uncertain at the moment. He stepped in and closed the door most of the way, but left it open a crack so that she wouldn't feel trapped. It was a technique he had read about in a manager's journal for how to console an upset employee, although he had never had to put the tidbit of information to the test.

"Miss Kaede?"

"J-Judge Petrov!"

"You look ill. Are you alright?"

Kaede's cheeks were nearly scarlet, her brow was furrowed, and there was a noticeable sheen of sweat on her shoulders. She nodded, thought for a moment, and then shook her head before she nodded again. It might be almost amusing if it weren't so worrying to watch. She hadn't activated her powers just yet, but that soft blue glow was creeping into her caramel colored irises. "I'm alright, I just... I just…"

Feeling like he was dealing with a wounded animal that might attack if its anger was not quelled, he let out a soft noise as he spoke. "Shh, calm down, Kaburagi. Take a deep breath. What is bothering you?"

The torrent of words slipped from her mouth before she could properly think about them, all her problems laid out in a mildly confusing train of thought. "The girls, they were saying how nice you are to me and how you're never nice and people at your office say you're a vampire and my dad got so mad and I don't know!"

Yuri looked surprised and slightly bemused as he listened to his assistant, trying to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching upwards. "Ah. You're feeling guilty and worried about gossip. Your father will be fine, he never means to upset you, I'm sure, and the rest is all rumors. Why do you fret about what others say about me?" That part was rather intriguing to him. His interest in dating was severely lacking since he was young. At first it was simply not noticing the young girls around him, but after that day when his powers awakened, he couldn't bring himself to try and interact with his peers in the same way he had before. There was a rift that they did not know about. How could he, anyway? He had killed his father, Mister Legend, because he had become an abusive alcoholic when his powers diminished. Hearing that his assistant was worried for what people said of him was rather interesting.

Kaede looked up at Petrov and he met her gaze steadily, holding it. Her heart beat quickly and she felt it. It was a familiar hum in her body. An accompanying warmth spread throughout her at the same time. Electric blue-green flames sprouted on her hands and crawled up her arms, not quite reaching her shoulders as they danced over her soft peach colored skin. They looked like gloves. Her eyes glowed blue and traces of neon green started to flicker along the edges, teasing her lashes but not burning.

Yuri felt his mouth dry as he watched that pretty young woman wearing his fire in such a way. He had never seen another wearing his fire that was not dying at his hand. His eyes glazed over and he just drank in the sight of the fire on Kaede. He wanted to see her surrounded in it, wearing it in her hair... He reached out and she took a step back, looking terrified as the fire started to spread and tease at a wisp of hair that had fallen out of place during the evening.

Her voice was shrill, high pitched, and panicked. "D-don't touch me!"

Yuri's voice was hoarse as he spoke, a slight edge to it that she hadn't heard from him before. "Kaede."

She looked at him, tears forming and falling down her face. He was different and it worried her. She had never seen the judge look like he did right now, tense and on edge, but with a nearly palpable interest in her while she had her power activated and his fire was crawling towards her throat. "M-Mister Petrov?"

"You look beautiful in my fire." Yuri reached out and grasped her upper arms, ignoring the flames that licked and burned his skin. It was new, seeing his fire used against him, but he didn't even feel it at the moment. He leaned down and pressed his mouth to her forehead, right at her hairline. She wept, the fire dying out as she stopped feeling so distressed, forcing herself to calm down so that he didn't get burned. Kaede put her hands over her face as the judge wound his arms around her shoulders and held her close, so no one else would see her crying. It would never do for anyone to see a lady's makeup running.

"You're a lunatic," she said, her voice trembling in her attempts to keep her tone even. "Why would you touch that fire? Are you hurt?"

"I'm not a lunatic," he replied, and said quietly into her hair, his grip on her shoulders tightening, "I'm _the_ Lunatic."

Agnes backed up and turned around quickly. She hurried into the grand ballroom and then kept going. The producer spoke to no one and went to her car as silently and stealthily as possible. She didn't even say good night to Kotetsu and Barnaby, or anyone, for that matter. She had to think long and hard about what she had just seen before she acted rashly. Normally this would be a big scoop, a huge one even, something to boost the ratings for the show, but... but what? Did she agree with what that vigilante did? Did she feel pity for Judge Petrov, who was treating Wild Tiger's daughter so gently while she wept as Lunatic's flames danced up her arms?

She knew who Lunatic was. The question was, what would she do with that information?

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: This one got expanded a bit, and I'm having fun with the updates now. I will have to insert a chapter or two along the way, and I still intend to rather overhaul the final chapter quite a bit.


	8. Chapter 8

Kaede opened the door to the apartment Barnaby shared with Kotetsu. Pausing outside of the slate grey door, she stared wonderingly up at the number 8 next to the door frame. How had she gotten home? She honestly couldn't recall. The last thing she remembered was Judge Petrov asking if she wanted a ride home and then insisting he have his car drop her off. There was no way she could take the bus in her state, after all, and the young woman must've agreed, she supposed. The judge was too nice to let her stay at the party with her makeup ruined, and he was too gentlemanly to allow her on the bus in an evening gown and with her hair all done up, in her state of mind.

Trails of makeup streaked her face, delicate twirls of hair fell about her neck every which way, and she looked dazed. Judge Petrov had told her that she now knew who he was, and he would understand what she chose to do with that information. It was his mistake, after all, telling her that secret. She stood there outside the apartment, still unable to cope with the reality that Judge Petrov, _Judge Petrov_ , was Lunatic. A vigilante. A murderer. Trying to wrap her head around that left her in the fog that eventually convinced her to put in the key code she had known for the last few years. True, she lived with her father and Barnaby as opposed to staying with her grandmother, but the woman was well taken care of by her other son, and Kaede went out to visit on long weekends and vacations, for she missed the countryside terribly. The city was enjoyable for its convenience, but it was nice to be able to relax on the back porch and just watch fireflies flitting about the garden, too.

Kaede took her shoes off and sat down on the large three person couch in the living room, staring out the floor to ceiling French doors that opened up to a balcony. She was looking up at the sliver of a moon, confusion etched across her face. Judge Petrov was Lunatic, he came out during the full moon. It was not full yet, it was just a new moon. She had to think about all of this and wasn't sure how much time she'd be afforded for the decision. If she did nothing, more criminals would die when the moon was full. If she did something… more people could possibly die overall.

While the young woman was busy staring up at the moon, Yuri Petrov was driving home, ignoring the nearly growling voice that was badgering him the whole way. He was not the sort to be distracted while driving, so it was a challenge to put the voice out of his mind when it was pestering him so insistently.

Once home, he parked and slammed the door, looking annoyed. He took in a slow, deep breath, a flurry of emotions storming in his head. Kaede crying in his arms, wearing his fire, caring about the gossip which was said about him. She was a sweet woman and probably didn't mean anything by it, but he had never felt such a longing to hold someone close until he saw the fire flickering around her eyes. His fire, and she wasn't screaming. It didn't hurt her. He knew it was because she was the one who summoned it, but still.

" _We're going to have to deal with her, you know._ "

There were long nights when he regretted hearing that voice. When he was young, it was easier to ignore that voice because it rarely came around. It was almost two years before he heard it for the first time, after _that day_ , but Yuri had always hidden his NEXT ability. He didn't want anyone to call him a freak or treat him differently.

Opening the door, he closed it quietly and glanced at the clock in the little hallway. Midnight. How fitting. Rolling his eyes, the man made his way towards the stairs to the basement he had made into his own apartment. Pausing at the living room, he saw his mother sitting there, staring up at the moon.

"You're still up, Mother? I thought you would've wanted to go to sleep by now."

"I was looking at the moon, it's so pretty tonight." The woman turned in her wheelchair and stared at her son. He gazed coldly back at her, waiting for nonsense to start spewing from her mouth.

His mother had become wheelchair bound at a young age because of her husband. He had beaten her badly several times, and in one of the drunken rages he was known for, knocked something in her spine. For years it wasn't too noticeable, but over the last decade Origa had become more and more wheelchair bound. Her sanity had been dwindling for fifteen years now, and while some days she seemed perfectly normal, there was always her husband with her, regardless of the fact the space next to her was always empty. Yuri pitied her and felt a tiny bit of guilt for how she ended up. To keep up appearances he never let her go to an institution, choosing instead to find private help with the highest levels of confidentiality. So far it had been working out rather well, someone came weekly to check on his mother and talk with her about any medical problems he had.

Still, there were days when his patience was short, usually near the full moon, and he'd snap at his mother about how her husband was dead and she needed to stop living in the past. At that time she'd always start to scream and throw things at him, often breaking whatever was in her hands in her attempts to shatter kitchenware against her son's head. He knew she lived in fear of him at those times, because he'd turn his cold, uncaring stare onto the wheelchair bound woman, and that voice in his head would whisper how much easier his life would be without her.

No matter how often that voice teased him, he could not kill his mother. It was his own punishment, for his father haunted him through her mind still.

"You went to a party tonight?" The aged woman looked up at him and as Yuri stared down at her, he realized she was living in a time all those years ago, somewhere between his teenaged and adult years, when her stability was starting to falter and reality blended with fantasy to her.

Hesitantly, the man nodded and began to undo the cufflinks on his dress shirt. "Yes, a work function."

"Did you bring a date?" There was a tiny flicker of hope in his mother's eyes and he pursed his lips, not interested in playing nice with her today. He was too conflicted about what to do about his date to pander to his mother.

"No, it wasn't that sort of party. I have some work to do still, so go to bed soon, please. It's late."

Yuri sighed as he left his mother to stare out the window again. He went to the basement, hanging up his jacket and changing into a cotton set of grey pajamas. After brewing a cup of tea and stirring in a large spoonful of honey, he sat at his computer to work.

" _You're thinking about her,_ " the voice teased at his mind after fifteen minutes. Petrov blinked and looked at his screen. He had opened his files and then sat there staring blankly at them for the past quarter of an hour.

Had he been thinking of her? It made him pause to consider. What had been running through his mind for the last few minutes? Letting out a mildly frustrated sigh, he shook his head, stirred his cooling tea, and tried to focus on his work.

Barnaby and Kotetsu returned to the apartment late that night. Kaede was still sitting on the couch, staring out the window at where the moon had been. Her father went over and said her name. When she didn't answer he laid his hand on her shoulder. She flinched and recoiled, saying sharply, "Don't touch me!" while she moved to stand at the same time.

"Kaede? What's wrong?" Kotetsu looked worried, as did Barnaby. Kaede looked between them. They were no longer Heroes now. Officially, they were retired. They had chased Lunatic over the past eight years and she had watched him escape every time. Back then, she had marveled at the flames and was surprised Mister Yuri had the same fire abilities Lunatic had. But now she knew. She knew the truth that she had been denying for eight years. Should she tell them? Could she tell them?

"Kaede, have you been crying?" Barnaby went over to her and she furrowed her brow, shaking her head slowly. "Your makeup is running," he said softly. The young woman let out a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a groan. The blonde man persisted with his questions. "What happened? We're both really worried about you."

Barnaby was like a second father to Kaede. Or maybe he was like an uncle? It was hard to describe what he was to her because for the longest time he had been her first crush. The shift to him being a part of the family was awkward and somehow still difficult to comprehend at times.

"I... Uh... I twisted my ankle tonight while dancing, that's all." She winced rather forcefully and Barnaby smiled, realizing the lie. He offered her his arm though, like a gentleman should, and she took it, allowing him to guide her to her bedroom. It was large and rather plain, but it was her study room while she lived with them during her college years. Kaede still wasn't sure what she wanted to do after school, but she had been thinking of returning to her hometown to live with her grandmother once more. But now... Now she was uncertain of everything.

Barnaby closed the door quietly and sat in the chair at Kaede's desk. She was like a fond niece to him, he couldn't see himself as a father figure, their ages were just a bit too close for that, and she was too old when he met her, but she was a sweet, honest, sincere kid, and he would do anything to protect or help her.

"Kaede, what happened tonight? You look ill. And don't tell me it's your ankle; you're as bad of a liar as your father." There was a bit of a smile in what he said, because it wasn't entirely true. Kotetsu could lie when he had to, but about stupid things, he was as easy to read as a book.

She fidgeted with her pendant, that habit she had developed as a teenager shortly after receiving it persisting, but she stopped and trembled instead. "Barnaby... I had a crush on you for so many years. You were so kind to me, and you treated me like a gentleman. Do... Do all men who feel nothing for a person treat them like that?"

Barnaby thought about it. He was polite, gentlemanly, kind, although he had been a bit distant and aloof around Kaede when she was a kid. He didn't mean to, he was just horribly awkward around a girl who he knew liked him but he didn't feel anything for. Plus she had been a fan, the daughter of his coworker and partner… It was complicated. She wasn't a fan anymore though, now she was what he considered family. It was a difficult question for him to properly answer.

"Kaede, I am sorry I didn't know how to treat you when you were younger. You had such high hopes for me, your idol, and that's a high pedestal to be put on, especially by someone so close to me. I won't lie and say I felt anything for you more than a familial fondness, but that is also just who I am. Why do you ask?"

"There's... someone who treats me like you did. Everyone says he's cold and uncaring about people, but he was nice to me. But I... I learned something about him. Something awful. And I don't know what to do about it."

"Oh. Well... That's a tough call. I suppose my only advice is to take some time and really think about your feelings for that person. You had a crush on me, but tonight you were crying because of this person. Did you cry over me, and if you did, does it feel the same as when you cried over this person?" He had a good guess as to who had made Kaede cry, which annoyed him, and he was insanely curious what that man could've done that was so awful. The way she said it, it didn't sound like he came onto her, so it must be something in his past. That only intrigued the blonde more, because no one knew much about the judge. What had he told her?

Kaede thought about what the man said though, staring at her knees while she considered the question. She said good night to Barnaby, thanked him, and mentioned she'd think about what he said. She also asked him to not tell her father what they had talked about because it'd only worry him more. He patted her hand, kissed her temple, and quietly left, closing the door. The young woman did have a lot to think about, starting with Barnaby.

When she was nine years old she developed a crush on Barnaby after he rescued her at her ice skating tournament. She kept that crush going until the blonde announced his love for her father, and after the night with the NEXT that had tried to kill her, the girl had fallen into a depression. Questions about morals, mortality, and love crashed around her head until she had no outlet for them. At some point Kaede had just said forget it, all of it. She bounced back to normal, but there was a small change to her somewhere. She began to distance herself from her friends and family. At times someone could come across her and she'd be seriously spaced out, staring at the sky and look like she was pondering the mysteries of the universe.

The last couple of weeks Yuri Petrov had taken her shopping for her outfit that she had worn tonight and taught her how to waltz when they weren't working in his office. He also took the time to try and build her confidence so she could handle being his assistant. He didn't have to do any of that, honestly. It was probably things like that which confused her heart. She smiled and toyed with a strand of hair. He was a good dancer too, and she liked it when he smiled, even though he tended to grimace instead. Just those unsure grimaces were a rare treat that she looked forward to, like the desserts she made for him. He always looked a bit tired, and he was so pale, from his hair down to his fingertips. She had begun to worry about his health. Yet he was never tired after giving her dance lessons, in fact she suspected he went home and worked even more. Tonight he hadn't been trying to punish or hurt her father, he was just having fun with Kaede and watching him spaz out. Agnes had joined in on the teasing, none of it was meant to be malicious. She understood the desire to tease her father because she did it to him too sometimes, just to watch him flail about and get angry. It was rather easy to work her father up to a steaming near-boil, she realized. He really wore his emotions on the surface.

Kaede started to slip the aquamarine colored glass clips out of her hair, carefully laying them back in the box that they had come in. She felt her hair tumble down to her shoulder blades and shivered. The room suddenly felt cold. After she changed out of that beautiful dress and hung it up, she placed the shoes next to the gown and stared at the ensemble. It really was a gorgeous dress, and Yuri had it tailored and adjusted to fit her perfectly. He even had them customize it with the bright blue inserts. He had done so much for her the last two weeks, and... and...

 _He's a murderer._

That thought was hard to accept. Her boss was a murderer of murderers at night, and during the day he was a fair and well respected judge. Her father and his partner had been trying to catch him for years. She barely knew anything about Judge Petrov, but he had been so kind when she was a child. Kind like Barnaby. She toyed with her necklace. What was Lunatic always saying? He was following his own justice? He listened to Thanatos? She looked up Thanatos on the Internet. He was the Greek god of death. Her brow furrowed a bit. He could hear Death? She was confused, certainly, but... she was also intrigued. She bit her lip and began to lightly chew on it. Kaede had to know more about Yuri Petrov before she made any decisions about him. Heart pounding, feeling like an idiot, she took out her phone and went through her contacts. There, under "Work- Y. Petrov" was his cell phone number. She swallowed and typed a message into it. She didn't go to bed until four hours later, when she heard her phone chime with a received message. It was impossible to sleep with her mind so active and her heart pounding so quickly, anyway.

"Judge Petrov, I'd like to meet with you tomorrow to discuss some things."

"Alright. I'll be in the statue park at 10 A.M."

Kaede went through her clothes for another hour before she finally found something that she thought was okay to wear. She took a shower, removed all her makeup, and tried to sleep, but it did not seem to last terribly long. The young woman tossed and turned the rest of the night, with hazy dreams of blue-green fire consuming her while Judge Petrov stood watching, wearing Lunatic's outfit with the mask off, and holding a judge's mallet ten times bigger than it should be in his hands.

When she woke up to the sound of her alarm chiming, Kaede realized she had thirty minutes to get ready and meet Yuri. She bolted out of the apartment in record time, saying she had to go meet someone to Barnaby, who was cooking, and to her father, who was nearly nodding off in front of the TV.

Kaede had grabbed a skirt that came just past her knees, an off the shoulder peasant blouse, panty hose, and ballet flats. She had brushed her hair quickly but otherwise left it alone, and she had a satchel bag over her shoulder. She swiped her pass and got onto the monorail, fidgeting nervously and staring at her phone's clock over and over. Someone near her leaned over and said, "Late for a date with your boyfriend?"

She snapped back, "He's not my boyfriend!"

Everyone on the monorail kind of left her alone after that and she meekly sunk down into her seat, feeling embarrassed. Her emotions were running high again, which was the last thing she needed right now.

Judge Petrov sat in a button down shirt, slacks, and crisp looking loafers. He had his jacket with him, but it was over his arm. The weather was rather nice and he had the top two buttons of the shirt undone, exposing his pale throat and collar bone. He looked at his watch, realizing he was ten minutes early for this meeting. He was nervous himself, not sure what Kaede would want to talk to him about or what she would say. Or what he would say in return, for that matter. But he could hear _his_ voice in his head.

" _We'll kill her if she tries to turn us in. She's helping the sinners if she tells anyone who we are."_

Yuri sighed. This was all his fault. All he had to do was keep his distance from her. Why hadn't he just kept away from her? She was so honest and pure, she wasn't disgusted by him, nor had she listened to the rumors regarding him. Or so he had believed. He thought back to those tears and the fire that was starting to creep near her hair. The tall man sighed. She had looked so terrified, but so beautiful. It made him ache in the pit of his stomach in a way he had long forgotten about, it caught him off guard. Damn his reactions to her.

" _I'll force you aside and deal with her if you will not, Yuri."_

He knew it was true. Lunatic was very powerful, but for the most part Yuri had thankfully kept control over his impulsive demands to execute sinners. This was a bit of a different situation though, and he knew it. He had calculated wrong last night, thinking that any of the other NEXT that were attending the party would've touched Kaede after he had, or that she would've kept her powers concealed until her father hugged her, at the very least. That man was constantly trying to hug his daughter. But it did not work that way and now he was waiting for a girl half his age or more to appear and decide both of their fates. Lunatic wasn't quite a caged animal, but it felt that way, and if threatened while backed into a corner, he would of course attack what was pinning him there.

Kaede blew in like the wind. She was out of breath, her hair was sticking up a bit, and she was nearly doubled over, hands on her knees. Evidently she had really rushed to get there on time. Yuri looked at his watch. Two minutes until their meeting time. He stood and solemnly regarded her, keeping his distance and warily observing the young woman.

"I... I didn't want to... make you wait..." She let out a sigh and swallowed. Yuri looked surprised, but he thought she didn't want him to wait because he would then go hunting for her. Guilt knotted his stomach as his brow began to furrow.

"I wasn't waiting long. Come, the park is deserted at this hour. We will have plenty of time to discuss… things." He did not offer his arm and she did not move to get too close to him. Outwardly he looked very stoic and neutral, but inside he was a bit crestfallen. She was not as energetic and happy as she had been the previous night while they were dancing. He worried she would not be around him again. That thought alone was peculiar, for Yuri wasn't sure he ever thought there was a chance he'd miss someone being near him. To him, people were just pawns. When it came to Kaede, however, he had come to look forward to the time they spent in his office together, for she was a bright spot in his day. He didn't count his mother, she lived her life about twenty-five years in the past. Perhaps that was it, he was simply curious to meet someone who was kind to him for no particular reason, no obligation to express happiness around him. Those in the office were kind because he was a fair judge and they thought that by buttering him up it would result in better work or more pay. They were, of course, mistaken, but still they persisted. He did not regard their attempts at flattery and kindness as anything more than the facade they truly were. But Kaede... She was sincerely kind to him. It made him pause.

"Thank you for meeting me. I... I wanted to discuss last night." Kaede's cheeks warmed with a blush and she chewed at the inside of her lower lip. "Barnaby-"

"Did you tell him?" Yuri looked sharply at her. Kaede shook her head quickly, raising her hands a little in a defensive way.

"No! No, I didn't tell anyone, I swear! I haven't... I can't..."

"You don't know what to do with this information yet." Yuri let out a breath he had been holding. "Since you know who I am, who I truly am, why don't you ask more questions? It might help you to decide." Now that he knew she hadn't told anyone about him, he could debate what to do with her still during their talk.

"O... okay. Um. I've seen some of the... TV clips about you... You say you can hear Thanatos? You... You follow his wishes?"

"Thanatos, the Greek god of death. You could say I hear him. He, er... resides in Lunatic."

"Is that your NEXT name?"

Yuri smiled thinly. She was trying so hard to make him out to be normal. Or as normal as any NEXT was. Unfortunately, he was not anything as simple as a NEXT with a strange name.

"No, Lunatic is an entirely separate soul living with me. He joined me the night my father died."

"I'm so sorry. Was it a... difficult death?"

"Yes. It had to be; I was the one who ended his life." Kaede stopped and stared at Yuri, wide-eyed. He met her gaze for a moment before looking away, sighing. "My father was a NEXT. But his power faded, like your father's did. Unlike your father, mine did not take it well. He drank and he hit my mother. Often. He had told me as a child to never turn a blind eye to evil. One day he was hitting her until she was crumpled on the floor, bleeding. He kept doing it, attacking that helpless, defenseless woman. He told me to never turn a blind eye, and I didn't. Not this time. I was so enraged I awakened my NEXT ability and burned him. Badly. He grabbed my face with his burning hand and the next thing I knew, I was standing over the charred remains of my father's body, my mother barely hanging onto her life behind me."

Kaede gazed at Yuri. She reached out as if to offer him comfort, and then seemed to think better of it, withdrawing her hand. She looked down at her feet. "I'm so sorry, Judge Pe-"

"You can just call me Yuri. I believe we are beyond the formality of my title." He smiled thinly, but it did not look particularly pleasant or happy.

Kaede's cheeks warmed at the request to drop his title. "Yuri. What... what happened next?"

Petrov sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I studied law. I wanted access to records, all records. I put the criminals away, Lunatic hunts them down. I had to become a judge to continue to remove evil from this city. This is my home, and it is beautiful, but it is infested with so much evil that no one can see the good parts of it anymore, I think." Petrov gazed around at the statues they were surrounded by. Whimsical fairy tale creatures danced around them, some with each other, some alone.

"You follow a different code of justice than the Heroes." Kaede licked her mouth, wanting more information. This was the most Judge Petrov had talked about himself with her and she was just drinking in what he said.

"We do. What sort of punishment is a jail cell when there are so many ways to escape? Jake was allowed to walk freely because his followers worked on the outside. It was not fair to hurt the city that way. All Heroes do is put criminals in a box. Some stay put, and yet some do not."

A question that nagged at her mind finally made its way bravely to her tongue. She intended to keep asking other questions, but this one was nattering at her insistently. "Um. Yuri? Why... Why are you nice to me?"

Judge Petrov stopped and stared at Kaede. She gazed up at him, touches of pink staining her cheeks that he recognized as a blush. He returned her stare, looking a bit uncertain. A voice hissed in his ear.

" _She likes you, Yuri. This silly girl can be persuaded to our side. Use her. She's just another pawn."_

His eyes searched hers and he finally sighed. He gave up. She had won. He was apparently weak against Kaede more than he was against Lunatic. "I am kind to you because you are pure, miss Kaede. You radiate purity and it is so startlingly welcome in this world that is tainted with evil that I wish _that_ was your power, to purify others. It should have been." He ran a hand over the back of his neck, another sigh escaping him. "Lunatic, he speaks to me, you know. He wants me to use you and have you join our cause, to be another pawn in the scheme. But I want you to continue being pure, because it is such a relief to know that someone like you exists." He knew that he would be punished by Lunatic at night for being honest with the young woman, his summer assistant, he mused, but he decided to be honest. Honesty would be his best weapon when it came to Kaede, he believed.

"Pure?" Kaede blinked. Her cheeks reddened even further as the gears turned in her head. "H-hold on, just because I'm p-pure doesn't mean you can say things like that!"

Yuri tilted his head. A warm flush entered his cheeks when he realized how she was defining the word 'pure' and he hissed at her, "Not pure like _that_! You really are as dumb as your father, aren't you?"

Kaede started to become a bit angry and clenched her hands into fists. "Well then what did you mean, that I'm a child?!"

"Well you are, compared to me! A dumb child who I am telling my every secret to!"

"Every... secret? Are you really only saying you've ever told me any of this, Yuri?"

He hesitated. "...Yes. You are the only one." He realized it was the truth. No one had been this close to him before, and he had never told any of his life to anyone else. He had a very lonely childhood and spent his life studying to become who he was today. And with one foolish thought, to provoke a man he didn't like or hate, he risked it all because of one woman. He could have kicked himself. Actually, he was rather certain Lunatic would do something like that tonight.

Kaede fidgeted. "O-oh. Can I ask you more questions?"

Yuri was utterly defeated. He was in this deep, he might as well keep going. "Yes."

For the next five hours, Kaede asked Yuri all sorts of questions about his powers, his family, his life, everything she could think of. She asked a lot about Lunatic too, but he noticed she never asked to speak with him. Finally he could take no more.

"Miss Kaede, let us get some food."

"You know, if I am to call you Yuri, you should call me Kaede."

"People will think we are involved." Yuri raised a brow at her, silently asking if she wished to be judged by her peers since he couldn't fathom speaking the words out loud.

With defiance, Kaede let out a small huff. "So what? Let them gossip, wasn't it you who told me to ignore all of it?"

A small smile showed on the tired man's face. He was glad she was not as stupid as her father.

They had a late lunch at a nice restaurant. Yuri paid, much to Kaede's fretting, and then they got frozen yogurt. They resumed their conversation, and finally, the young woman asked the questions she was the most curious about, yet she also feared the answers.

"Do you kill every full moon?"

"Lunatic is compelled to. I rest in the back of my mind and observe."

"Can you stop him?"

"I tried to, when I was younger, but he is much stronger than I am. He will win when Thanatos is compelling him."

"Do you like me?"

That question made Yuri pause. "You are a charming woman," he finally said, trying to be tactful and vague without offering a definitive answer.

"Not... not like that. Barnaby said things like that, and he's dating my dad now." Kaede flushed a warm shade of pink, remembering what Dragon Kid had said about men buying women things when they like-liked them. "Do... do you like me... as a woman?"

Oh. That kind of question. Yuri thought about it seriously. He at least owed her that much.

"You radiate light, Kaede; it's startling and almost infectious. I feel like a moth that is drawn to the proverbial flame, although I cannot say for sure if it is fondness or anything more. I am comfortable around you, and you did look very beautiful last night, wearing my fire. But as far as whether or not I am attracted to you… you are pleasing to the eye, I would imagine, but I do not know if I have any special feelings towards you or if I have simply enjoyed meeting someone who does not irritate me most of the time. Does... does that make sense?"

"Yes." Kaede paused before she thought of a question to ask, if for no other reason, than to lighten the mood. "...Judge Petrov?"

"Hm?"

"Are you a pyro?" There was a teasing tone in her voice.

Yuri flushed a shade of pink at the question. "No, but you are showing how you are related to your father again."

Kaede smiled and walked a little closer to Yuri. She didn't touch him, but if she had wanted to, he was only a hand's width away. He glanced down at the top of her head and smiled, although she didn't see it. He was tentatively happy with how today went and heard a grumbling voice in his mind, which then snapped that today had better have gone well, because it was sickening to watch.

Yuri said good-bye to the young woman at the monorail and made sure she safely boarded before he turned around and went back to his car. He went home and played pleasant with his mother before he took a shower and sat in a comfortable pair of pajamas, letting Lunatic take over and do some research. He wanted to mull over today and Kaede. She was cute, certainly, but as it had been pointed out, she's about half his age. Too young for him. But a... friend? An ally one day? He hoped he would not have to let Lunatic end her life to continue their existence.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: I feel like the greatest insult someone can tell Kaede is she's showing how she's related to her father.


	9. Chapter 9

Sunday. For once, Yuri was glad that it was not a work day. He had a rough sleep, his dreams constantly jumbled up between his fire, his assistant Kaburagi, and Lunatic taunting him from the shadows. Slowly he dragged himself out of bed, straightened the bedding, and went into the bathroom. After shaving and brushing his teeth, he combed his hair and pulled it back loosely, staring at the dark circles under his eyes. He looked perpetually sick and he knew it.

With the sluggish gait of someone who really did not wake up well, he got dressed in a comfortable pair of slacks and a loose button down, the soft material putting him at ease. The judge went down to the kitchen, where his mother was eating her breakfast. Even in a wheelchair for most of the time, she still managed to stand long enough to scramble eggs, make toast, and pour her drinks. Wearily, the man started to brew some tea, opening a cabinet too high for his mother to reach to grab his honey. It was the only thing he kept out of her reach because he didn't want to run out of the precious golden nectar.

"Is everything alright, Yuri? You look tired today." His mother Origa was cutting up her eggs into small bites, taking her time with this task, as she did for everything of late. He watched her as the water started to make its way towards boiling, pondering her sanity.

"I had a long night, I did not sleep well." He was on guard, waiting for her to slip into her delusions and irritate him with talk of his father. He was not in the mood for it today.

"Oh? That's never good; some tea will perk you up. Did you have a bad dream?"

After careful consideration, he slowly replied, "Yes, it was a bad dream." Turning away from the aged woman, he began to make his own breakfast. Eggs, sausage, toast, and some yogurt for something sweet. Nothing fancy, and simple to make as well. When it was all ready, the pale haired man took his food to the table reluctantly and sat down across from Origa at the attached dining room, stirring some honey into his tea. She had her own jar in the cabinets she could reach, but he was meticulous about his supply and loathed the idea of his supply dwindling because of someone else.

While the two ate, Yuri's mother took breaks to pause and look at him, almost as if she was seeing her son for the first time. He lowered the mug of tea from his mouth and raised a brow at the woman.

"You seem different, Yuri. Quieter."

Furrowing his brow, the man leaned forward a bit and said in a soft tone, "How old do you think I am, Mother?"

"Why, it should be your thirty seventh-birthday soon, isn't it? Or did I get the date wrong, I forgot to check the calendar today."

The fact that Origa knew when her son's birthday was and that he was getting on in his years made the man pause. Interesting. He thought that she only had two modes; living in the past or throwing kitchenware at him.

"I suppose that is coming up. How are you feeling today?" While she was lucid enough to maintain a conversation in the present, and since she wasn't hurling plates at him, Yuri might as well make sure everything was alright.

"I'm alright. It's been lonely without your father though. I miss him." Origa ran her fingers along the rim of her mug, staring at the juice she had poured. "Are you alright, Yuri? You seem lonely, too. Do you have a girlfriend yet?"

Frowning and furrowing his brow a bit, the tall man sighed and shook his head. "No, Mother, I do not have a girlfriend. I am busy with my work, there is no time for such things."

"Nonsense," she said softly, taking another bite of her eggs. "I won't be around forever. You'll have to find yourself a girlfriend to mind the house. I know how absorbed you get in work, and then you get nothing cleaned."

Yuri sighed and couldn't help the wry smile that started to form. The woman dusted sometimes, but that was about all she could manage. Shaking his head, the slender male stood and picked up his food, washing the dishes and asking his mother if she was done. When she said that she was, he took her plate away too so that it could be washed.

"Do you want to do something today, Yuri? I feel like it's been so long since we did anything together." Origa stared up at her son with slightly watery eyes, her wrinkles pronounced and showing her age in a garish light.

Staring down at her, the cold man could only see the helpless woman screaming at him he was a murderer, the way she slipped from sanity to some sort of waking dream, always enjoying life with the ghost of his abusive father. "No, I have work to catch up on. I got you some new books and a few movies that came out, though."

His mother sighed and nodded, looking down at her hands. Unsure what else to say, Yuri left her in the dining room, wondering how long this spell of sanity would last. In some cases he hoped a while, but in most, he prayed she'd just go back to living in her fantasy world and leave him alone. He felt an obligation to take care of the woman, but it did not stretch further than that. He did not love her, and was rather certain she knew it.

Going down into the converted basement, he set his mug of tea down on the coaster and started up his computer. It was hooked into his work computer and had a separate hard drive with all his personal files that Lunatic demanded and Yuri monitored. He opened a few and looked through them, but he soon sighed and just stared at the generic wallpaper that he had picked out.

" _You're thinking about her again._ "

"Well of course I am. Miss Kaburagi believes that she may have feelings for me, it is a startling thing to hear from a child."

" _She is no child though, is she? A fully fledged adult now._ "

Yuri did not like how that sounded and frowned, saying in a low tone, "And what is it you are trying to propose?"

The voice in his head answered him, a sneering edge to the whispered words only he could hear. " _Seduce her so that her feelings for you grow. She will be on our side and you won't have to let me kill her._ "

Scowling, Petrov picked up his tea and drank some of it. He hated Lunatic, but over the years had learned to live with his constant presence.

"And if I wish to have an actual relationship with her?" Yuri wasn't seriously considering that possibility, but at this point the whispers in his ear were the closest thing he had to a friend anymore. Most people who knew him all wanted something from him. It wasn't like he could call up the newly retired Heroes and have a gab fest about how he was feeling, and there was no one else close to the detached and quiet man.

" _Then enjoy it while it lasts, for as soon as she slips up and ruins what we do, I'll end her._ "

Yuri was well aware that it was not a simple threat that the voice was spouting and he fell silent, thinking.

When she was a child, Kaede had been kind of cute in that innocent, disarming way. He had never felt so confused about a child being around him before. After his father passed he started to refuse calls and visits from family members, too ashamed of what his mother had become. Touching at his face gently, it reminded him that he was also embarrassed to be seen when the weather was too warm or cold. The burn scars that had been left on his face faded to heat scars, those which appeared only when the temperature difference was substantial enough that his body was extremely warm when it was cold, or fairly cool when it was hot out.

After stirring his tea in a nervous fashion, Yuri began to comb his fingers through his hair. At first he had been relieved there was no work today so that he could consider what had happened yesterday and the day before that. Now he wished to go into the office and throw himself into projects until it was midnight to distract himself from his thoughts.

While it was relatively amusing to Lunatic that his host was in such distress, it didn't really do for their cause, so the voice sighed. " _Do you like her, Yuri?_ "

"I don't know. What if I do? She's a child compared to me."

Relationships were not Lunatic's forte. To be honest, the only things he knew about were justice and murdering sinners. For almost a minute he was silent, until finally saying, " _Why not see if you are attracted to her? At this point it is no hindrance to our plans, and if it gets in the way, she'll disappear._ "

Leave it to Lunatic to suggest pursuing feelings or a relationship, and if something went wrong, kill the other party. That sounded sensible enough.

"…Perhaps. We will have to see how she acts in general, after all, and whether or not she comes to a decision."

" _It was very careless of you to tell her about us._ "

"I know," Yuri said quietly, thinking yet again that it might've been better to keep his mouth shut and just distance himself from the sunny woman.

Sunday. Kaede laid in bed for an hour after she woke up and stared at the ceiling. Her dreams were relatively boring, she was certain, yet she couldn't recall a single one. Sighing, she didn't feel like moving just yet and wiggled her toes, thinking.

Judge Petrov was Lunatic. He ruled in court as a judge, decided on cases relating to Heroes and the criminals they caught, among other things, and then at night he went out and killed the people he put in jail. It might have been a bit more complicated than that, yet it was that simple at the same time.

So why was Kaede hesitating? She could tell the Heroes who Lunatic was and they could catch him, once and for all. He'd be done with.

With a furrow in her brow, the woman tapped her fingers along her stomach, thinking. Her eyes slid to the dress hanging up, the shoes neatly laid next to it, and the box with the hair clips she had worn to her father's retirement party. Sighing, she knew why she couldn't do that to Judge Petrov. She had timid feelings for him. It was a crush, something similar to what she had on Barnaby. The difference was Judge Petrov was around her and interacting with her for nearly twelve hours a day.

Another sigh escaped the woman and she ran her hands over her face. She wanted to go out and think. Getting up, Kaede went to take a shower, but found the bathroom was already occupied by Barnaby. So instead she went to sit on the couch with her father. He was busy trying to improve his playing with the game he had lost horribly at.

"Really, Dad? You're retired and this is what you do with your time?" It was gentle teasing, but Kaede felt like the man needed just a bit of goading.

"Well yeah, Bunny's still beating me by a lot. You want to play a round? Bet I can at least beat you now."

"Why not. It's been a while since I played a game." Kaede picked up the second controller and her father reset the game so they could play against one another.

"That's true, you've been so busy at your internship I never see you anymore. Are you alright? You've been out late most nights." Kotetsu looked at his daughter. She looked so much like Tomoe that his heart ached. His precious girl was a soft reminder of that beauty which had been taken too early from him. It had been hard to talk to her for a while when she moved in with him. There was a lot of awkwardness they had to overcome, but the scruffy man thought that, for the most part at least, that phase was behind them and they were a family again.

"Well, honestly, I've been thinking. If you could reveal Lunatic to the world, who he really was, would you?" Kaede peered up at her father.

"Of course," Kotetsu said without hesitation. "Lunatic is a murderer, a criminal, and he has to be brought to justice before the court."

"But he kills murderers. He killed the man who was trying to kill me. Without Lunatic, I might've- no, probably would have- died that night." The two had talked about what happened a few times, at great length, before the girl had apologized to the Heroes that had been there that night.

Taking in a deep breath, the man on the opposite side of the couch had to rub at his jaw and think about it. "Well, I mean, honestly. He needs to be stopped, you know it's wrong to kill people, no matter what they've done, right?"

After a moment's pause, Kaede said, "Yes, of course."

"So, even though he kills the bad guys, he's still a bad guy, honey. What matters is that he is the one making the call to end lives, and that's the problem. What makes him any different than the murderers, who decide to end the lives of their victims?"

Feeling a flicker of annoyance, Kaede said softly, "For one thing, he's killing murderers, not innocent people. So by definition he is saving lives by taking out the problem." Oops. She hadn't meant to say that, because now it was going to be a discussion and Kaede just wanted to play the video game her father was terrible at.

Hesitating, Kotetsu paused the game and looked at his daughter. He knew that she went through a traumatic experience, being held as a future victim by a known murderer, thinking she was going to die. He was certain that as she got older, his sweet little girl had learned the world is not entirely fair and people get away with crimes for far too long. He could see the agitation and confusion on her face and wished that there was something that he, as her father, could do to tell her that everything would be okay, Heroes were going to fix it all. Instead he just said quietly, "The world is a terrible place, but it's not okay to kill people just because you have decided they deserve it. People can change, and we owe it to them to demonstrate that or sit in prison."

That brought up another argument in Kaede, but she bit her tongue and just nodded slowly. It wasn't worth a legitimate argument with her father, about why it was okay to keep prisoners locked up with their basic human rights, three meals a day, visitation rights, exercise equipment, medical treatment, dental attention, things most hard working people can't even begin to afford, and yet working class citizens have it taken from their taxes to keep murderers and worse alive. For what? To sit and think on their problems? How many even truly thought they were doing anything wrong?

Biting her lower lip, Kaede took in a slow breath and said quietly, "I'm going to go for some air. I'll be back in a while."

While Kotetsu figured he had upset his daughter, who might've been rationalizing the difference between Hero TV and what she had been seeing at the Justice Bureau, he believed that deep down, she did truly have a good heart and would come out alright at the end of all of this. When she went out for her walk, he sunk down into the couch and sighed heavily.

"What's the matter, Kotetsu?" Barnaby poked his head out of the bathroom while he toweled his hair off.

"It's Kaede. She's growing up and seeing that the world isn't so wonderful and it pains me to watch her change. She isn't my sunshine and rainbows little girl anymore, you know?"

The blonde stood there thoughtfully for a moment and wondered; just how much had she changed?

Kaede didn't want to go home for a while, honestly. She was stewing about what her father had said. He hadn't been there that night, he didn't feel the muzzle of the gun pressed against his temple while his friends inadvertently inflicted pain upon him instead of his captor. He didn't _know_.

A little voice in her head reminded her that her father did know though, because for a moment, everyone thought he was dead. And before that, all his friends, his closest allies were convinced he was a murderer. Sighing heavily, Kaede went to a frozen yogurt shop near the bus stop and ordered something fruity and sweet to eat. There was something else she had to consider in all of this.

Judge Petrov had told her all that she wanted to know. So what did she think of him, of everything relating to him? Lunatic still scared her, especially knowing that he was a separate entity that lived in Yuri like a parasite. Once she had her food, the pondering woman took a seat at a simple wrought iron table, which was painted white, and mulled everything over.

As a child Judge Petrov- Mister Yuri- no, just Yuri, he had said. The thought of him insisting that he call her just Yuri caused a blush to form on her cheeks. Years ago, Yuri had been polite to a sweet girl from the country who was lost in the city. He went along with her and was kind enough to show her where she was trying to get to for her competition. As a teenager, he bought her frozen yogurt and treated her to a birthday present and spent the day with her, even if it was because of her father and his bad parenting. And then there was Lunatic and the night she came face to face with a man who openly admitted he had intended for her to die, for the greater good. The sacrifice she was going to make would save how many others? That caused her to shiver on the warm June day. Lunatic was terrifying, there was no doubt about it. Hadn't he said something about not intending to kill innocents though, unless absolutely necessary?

With a heavy sigh, Kaede nibbled at some of the strawberries in her yogurt. It didn't matter to her, really. Lunatic scared her, while Yuri made her feel safe and even valued. As a Judge he was patient and listened impassively to both sides, making an unbiased decision in each case.

Or did he? Thinking back on it, what if Lunatic was influencing Yuri while he was at work so that he would have more criminals to kill? And yet that thought seemed rather bizarre, because there were so many criminals running about murdering innocent people. It seemed highly unlikely that the judge was being influenced by outside forces, voices in his head telling him that all the criminals that went through his court must be taken care of, permanently.

As she made her way through the frozen yogurt, Kaede thought as much as she could about the subject, circling around two thoughts; Lunatic bad, Yuri good. Or, at least, better than his counterpart.

Once she had that figured out, the young woman spent a few minutes staring up at the sky, thinking about the retirement party for her father. Yuri had taken two weeks to help her learn how to dance, bought her a beautiful and customized dress and accessories, and he even held her while she cried. He was caring, he had a tiny mischievous side that had shown briefly, and he was a perfect gentleman. Not once during that night had he made her feel… Wait. There was one time when he scared her. Right before he reached out and burned his hands on the fire she borrowed from him. His tone was different, his demeanor almost intimidating. A tiny voice whispered in the back of her mind that it was exciting.

Shaking her head quickly, Kaede threw out her trash and went back to the apartment. Her father and Barnaby were quietly arguing about what to have for lunch. Watching them together, she realized they were perfectly suited for one another. With a lopsided smile, she realized that yes, what she had felt for Barnaby back then was just a silly, childish crush. Judge Petrov, however, made her feel safe and comforted, even though his NEXT ability scared her a bit.

"Oh, Kaede, welcome back," Barnaby said, getting up from the couch. "I was going to make some lunch, do you want anything?"

"Sure," she said softly, knowing what she was going to do about her tentative feelings for her boss. Tomorrow she'd talk to him seriously about how she felt. Even if he didn't feel the same way that she did, it would at least help her start to come to terms with the fondness she had for the lonely seeming man.

After having lunch with her father and Barnaby, they played a tournament with the few video games that they had. Kotetsu lost every time, except when it came to Pong, which he dominated at.

That night Kaede got a special outfit ready for tomorrow, aquamarine clips and perfume sitting on the desk next to her lip gloss. If she was going to admit to Yuri that she had special feelings for him, she wanted to feel her prettiest while doing it.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: This chapter is a new insert because, honestly, it should've been in the original story and got skipped. But it definitely belongs here. …Also I love thinking that Kotetsu is only good at playing Pong. Probably the simple mechanics.


	10. Chapter 10

It was another early Monday morning. Kaede was more nervous this time than she normally was, because she was determined to talk seriously to Yuri about their feelings for one another. That thought alone had her blushing, of course, since she never had a need to tell someone how she felt. In many ways Barnaby dating her father kind of stunted the woman, because she didn't trust herself to have a crush on anyone as a teenager after that. Today she was wearing a black skirt which ended just slightly above the knee, a gray blouse with white stenciled hydrangeas on it, and dark colored heels. Her hair was parted on the left side with the bangs swept over and held in place with two of the aquamarine clips she had been given. Honestly, what was the point of such a lovely gift if the woman didn't try to use them whenever possible?

Taking in a deep breath, Kaede lightly knocked on the door as she pushed it open, standing there for a moment in a panic when she saw Yuri at his desk, reading something. It wasn't odd to see the man doing some work at his desk, but her mind suddenly screamed 'you can't tell him anything, he's Yuri freaking Petrov' and then something about him also being a psycho murderer at the same time. Complicated feelings and all that.

With a tight smile and a slight nod of her head, Yuri's assistant set her simple bag down on the coat rack and went into the attached kitchenette to start making them some tea. It was hard to concentrate, honestly, and she was nervously fidgeting with the tea pot while trying to open a new box of tea bags at the same time. The result was a loud clattering bang as the kettle fell into the sink and the tea bags scattered across the counter. In an instant Judge Petrov was in the doorway, watching her.

"Are you alright, Kaede?"

The woman paused and looked up at the judge, helpless for a moment with cheeks such a deep shade of scarlet that it caused his own to warm in response.

"Don't," she barely squeaked out.

"I'm sorry. I meant, Miss Kaburagi. I suppose that while here, it would be highly inappropriate of me to refer to you so intimately..."

"It isn't intimate," she protested, dropping the kettle once more into the sink when it slipped through her fingers.

"I suppose you might think that, but the expression on your face tells another story." Yuri ran his fingers through his hair, clearing his throat after. He moved into the small adjoined room, standing just behind his assistant and glancing at the open doorway to make sure no one was there before he leaned down and whispered near her ear, "I see you are wearing those hair clips again." The man was being bold and teasing, which only made the young woman tense up in response.

"You really like them?" She turned a little to look up at him, her eyes widening when she realized just how close the judge was to her. It caused her heart to skip a beat.

With a small quirk of his brow, the slender male reached down and brushed a few loose strands of hair behind the woman's ear, keeping his face close to hers as he said in a low, soft toned voice, "I chose them because they accented your beauty, Kaede."

A shiver ran down her spine as she took a step back, lowering her gaze in a shy and even timid sort of way. Yuri was curious about her reactions and reached up, sliding his lengthy and slender fingers along her jaw before trailing them back further to brush against the nape of her neck. His thumb touched just below her ear and he pressed gently against her skin, causing her to tilt her head up to stare at her boss.

"Kaede. You are still blushing."

"You keep saying my name, Yuri."

He glanced at her lips, such a soft shade of pink, glossed and inviting, and for a moment he looked as if he might close the distance and kiss the young woman who was waiting for exactly that. However, he withdrew his hand and cleared his throat, adjusting his tie as he took a step away from her. "We should not be careless, Miss Kaburagi."

"Yes, Sir," was the breathy and whispered response.

Curling his fingernails against his palm, Yuri stepped away from his assistant, feeling a soft ache deep within himself to hold her close and whisper in her hair. He didn't, but oh how he longed to in that moment.

Fifteen minutes passed before Kaede left the kitchenette, carrying two mugs of tea. She placed one on the coaster near her boss and held onto what had become her mug, staring at the contents silently. It was not long before the judge looked up at his assistant.

"What is it, Miss Kaburagi?"

After a long and thoughtful pause, Kaede finally set her mug down quickly, looking a bit surprised. "I think I burnt my finger." She looked at the red spots that were blossoming and darkening on the tips of her index and middle finger with interest. "I think I was concentrating so hard on what I was going to say I forgot the tea was still hot."

Yuri stood and leaned over his desk, taking her hand and inspecting the fingers. They were bright pink and a little swollen, but nothing too damaging. With his fingers wrapped around her wrist, the pale haired man looked up at his assistant, not letting go of her. "What were you going to say?"

Kaede's cheeks were pink as she stared at her boss. She had to keep reminding herself that he was her superior, because every time she didn't foolish thoughts entered her head about dancing and eating sweet treats together. With a very weak tug she tried to pull her hand from the man's hold, but his grip only tightened and he drew her closer to him, bringing his face inches from hers. This close, Kaburagi could see the very faint discoloration on Yuri's face and had another question, but the burning desire for her answer was plain to see in his gaze.

"I... We... We can't," she finally squeaked out. Judge Petrov slid his thumb along the vein in her wrist, stroking it softly and causing her to lose her focus for a moment. "I want to... to see what my feelings for you are, Sir, but, but we can't." Not like this. Not when she was his intern.

Lowering his head, the judge placed his lips on the base of her palm, giving her a small kiss there before he withdrew and let her go. He sat in his seat, staring up at her with an unreadable expression for a moment. "I would like to do more about this as well, for I am interested to see what these feelings are, but you are right, Miss Kaburagi. It would be highly inappropriate." With a small sigh, he rubbed the side of his face. "I already hear enough whispers about me, and should anyone even think they saw... No, I will not put your reputation on the line."

The young woman's heart fluttered a bit. He wanted to see how he felt about her as well? A foolish thought entered her mind that said inappropriate be damned. It was quickly forced out, of course. Judge Petrov was a gentleman, a well respected judge, and there was no way she'd ever attempt to tarnish his reputation.

"Then I will be the perfect assistant." It should be easy enough, since she had been getting better at matching Yuri's attitude and demeanor around the office. "No one will say there is anything inappropriate going on between us." With a small smile, Kaede dipped her head a bit. "Judge Petrov."

For a moment Yuri's heart warmed. How easy it would have been if she said she didn't care about her job, she just wanted to be wit him. He had caught the tail end of stupid romantic movies his mother watched and that seemed to be how the burning passion was ignited in most of them. Responsibilities be damned.

"You are a very mature woman, Miss Kaburagi," he said softly. "Go run your finger under cold water and we shall get started on the day."

With a pleased smile that her boss said she was mature, Kaede went back into the kitchenette, cleaned up what she could, and went back out to properly start her day as Judge Petrov's assistant.

Summer sped by before either of them had really noticed. Kaede was the perfect intern, as she promised. She kept her distance from Judge Petrov, wore the mature look of boredom and focus that most people had in the offices, took notes, was quiet yet helpful, and Yuri had absolutely no complaints about her and heard no gossip regarding the woman, about being involved with him inappropriately or otherwise. After the retirement party their nights were still long, yet focused on work now. There were always cases to look over and one of the main ones involved making sure Kotetsu Kaburagi had all his damages paid off that were owed. That was one of the more amusing cases, because Kaede was constantly fretting about her clumsy father and how he had made a mess of everything. Still, those nights were some of the most enjoyable Yuri had, for his assistant unknowingly lowered the man's guard. Over the weeks, he began to relax a little as well after the normal working hours. The two were close enough that once the main working hours were over, they referred to one another by their first names.

One of the great things about having Kaede in his office was she had just as much of a sweet tooth as the judge, and never looked at him funny for wanting something sweet to eat or drink. She had learned early on that there really wasn't such a thing as too much honey to him in his tea, and there were always two breaks for sweet snacks during the day; just after lunch and an hour before the set time that Judge Petrov swore they'd go home.

It was during one of those evenings when Yuri was working on what he called a 'side project', which Kaede was rather certain had something to do with Lunatic, that he asked her about her future.

"Kaede, what are you going to do after you graduate?" He looked up at her from over the top of his computer. His assistant was going over some case notes regarding an arrest Dragon Kid had made last week.

"Huh? Oh. Honestly, I was thinking maybe I'd try to get a job as a secretary." Feeling her cheeks warm, she glanced down at her papers. "I've really enjoyed working here and everyone is so nice. Admittedly I didn't know what I wanted to do or why I was even in college except to have more time to think about it."

Raising both brows, Yuri shifted a bit in his seat. "If you didn't know what you wanted to do, why would you apply to be an assistant to me?"

The blush on Kaede's face grew darker. "I... I really like you, Yuri. I wanted to work with you and get to know you. When I was a teenager you were so nice to me, and even when I was younger..." She hesitated, because what she was saying really brought up their age differences. When she was a child, Yuri was already a working adult. He may really have some hesitations about her having any possible romantic feelings towards him.

Judge Petrov closed his files and shut his computer down. He stared at his assistant and the way she was blushing as she tried to keep some semblance of composure. She had seriously taken a chance at an interview with one of the most powerful judges in Sternbild... because she wanted to get to know him? He could laugh. Honestly, he could laugh. That was such a Kaburagi answer, father and daughter.

With a flabbergasted look, Petrov leaned back and did start to laugh. At first it was just a chuckle, but it quickly became full blown and helpless, until his sides hurt and he was nearly crying.

Kaede watched, horrified, and let out an indignant squeak. "Y-Yuri! It's not funny!"

"It is... Oh, oh how it is... You... Do you even realize how badly some of those people want the job you have? They spend their whole college careers hoping to get in big at the Justice Bureau, and even if it isn't with me, Shillings goes through interns every season, a recommendation from Wayne will assure any student their pick of a job once they graduate... And you... You just wanted to spend some time with me."

It was such a Kaede thing to do that the man sat there trying to stifle more laughter for almost a minute.

In her defense, the young woman, whose cheeks were still scarlet, pouted a bit at her boss. "Yeah, well, you could've picked anyone else, why'd you pick me?"

That got Yuri to pause. He cleared his throat and said in a soft, unsure voice, "I thought it would be more fun with you in the office."

Staring at her boss, Kaede could only look dumbstruck. He thought it'd be more fun? "What?! That... What about my grades, my test scores, how I did on the written interviews?"

"Well, actually, I only glanced at most of those. Your grades are above average, of course, and the test scores from the first two interviews placed very highly. You were about even with the other people in that room."

"Then why did you pick me?! They already had the personality of people who wanted to be here!"

"Yes, they did. Drab, boring, so determined and probably with just as much desire to suck up to myself or any of the other judges to get ahead in the Bureau. You, however, actually looked nervous and even a little unsure of yourself. It was different, but you had proved that you belonged there. I thought it would be more entertaining to have someone who didn't have frown lines at sixteen assist me. And if you were a bumbling fool, I would have taken great pleasure in terminating your internship."

Kaede's mouth was hanging open. He didn't... he couldn't mean... "S-seriously?"

With a faint grimace and a quirk of the corners of his mouth, Judge Petrov nodded. "I have no use for a cute yet incompetent assistant, Kaede."

"You thought I was cute?"

Clearing his throat, Yuri said softly, "Did you finish with that case file yet?"

Grinning like a fool, Kaede handed it over to her boss. For the rest of the evening in that office, she was nearly glowing with pleasure. He thought she was cute, even when he saw her at that interview.

Time kept slipping by for the judge and his assistant. One of the things he made allowances for was the fact Kaede couldn't bring herself to come into work the day after the full moon. He knew she was a sensitive woman and it must be difficult to be reminded that her boss was also a vigilante. She was too pure to handle that kind of truth, that she liked being around the man, but she did not agree with his methods. He found that he was both mildly annoyed by her refusal to accept him for who he was but intrigued by her desire to continue being around him during that summer. Those days she wasn't there, Judge Petrov all but locked himself in his office and was more surly than normal. His dour attitude was actually the reason yet another rumor started about the man. He was terrifying when his intern was gone.

The summer was over before either of them noticed. The Justice Bureau gave her a small congratulatory party for completing her internship and then... she was gone as quickly as she had arrived. The office was Yuri's again and he found that he missed having Kaede's presence. The large room felt larger and dusty without her youthful energy bustling about making sweetly perfumed desserts and drinks for him when he was feeling irritable.

He knew that in a week she'd go back to college to complete her senior year. It still astounded him that she hadn't really figured out what she wanted to do yet. So irresponsible, honestly. It angered him in some ways, she was as frustrating to deal with as her father at times. And yet, when she irritated him, it also made him smile on the inside.

In a week, his now ex-assistant would be gone for another year... He paced his office for almost a whole day before his eyes lit up. He knew what he'd do before she left.

Yuri phoned Kaede as soon as he informed the Bureau what was going on. She picked up and he sounded rather excited, which was odd sounding from the normally cold male.

"Do you want to go on a vacation with me?"

He heard the phone slip and a squeak on the other end. He patiently waited for the young woman to pick the device back up and return it to her ear. And then he waited even longer for her to answer him.

"A vacation? With you?"

"Yes. I have taken a leave from work for one week. I certainly have earned it over the years, and I would like to go somewhere with you."

"Where?"

"Anywhere you desire."

Kaede thought it over, really considering the options. She licked her mouth more than once and found herself absently fingering the pendant around her throat. A week alone with Yuri Petrov. Alone?

"Would it just be the two of us?"

"Only us."

That settled it. Kaede was still thinking about Lunatic and Yuri, but she was finding herself more interested in the quiet man as she spent more time around him. Now that her internship was done, she found she might miss going into the Justice Bureau. "Yes. I'd like that."

The only difficult part about this plan seemed to be convincing Kotetsu that it was good for his daughter to go on vacation immediately after her internship yet right before she went back to college.

Both parties didn't think it'd be wise to talk on the phone where people could hear them. They agreed to meet at the park and talk about their plans.

Kaede took a bus to the far side of Sternbild, away from the Justice Bureau and her father's apartment. They didn't have much interest in being seen by other people, and they walked silently down the path for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company and mulling over thoughts that were occupying both of their minds.

"So-"

"You know-"

Pausing, the both kind of laughed a bit. "Sorry, please go ahead, Kaede."

"I was just going to say, you're sure that you want to go on a vacation with me?" She nervously fiddled with the pendant around her neck, sinking back into that habit he had worked so hard to break his assistant of.

"I would not have asked if I did not mean it." He glanced down at the woman and offered her a small smile. "Are you sure you wish to go with me?"

Tensing up a little, the chestnut haired woman blushed a dark shade and glanced away quickly. "Of course! This summer has been wonderful and I'd hate to just leave without, um..."

Yuri paused and glanced down at the woman next to him. He let out a slow breath and smiled at her, as much as he could. It was slowly becoming easier when around her. "Without having a proper date?" He just had to tease her a little when they were alone.

The flush of crimson on Kaede's face was reward enough for him. Judge Petrov let out a dry chuckle and kept walking, saying as he did, "I would have regretted your departure if we did not have any time alone. ...Well, more alone than being in my office." He didn't quite count the time in his office because there were plenty of people milling about, and even the few times they went out for yogurt were more business related than not.

"You're a lot more relaxed like this, Yuri," Kaede said as she walked next to the man. He nodded and cleared his throat, but didn't answer her.

The two made their way around the park, talking about what they were going to bring and where to go. Yuri mentioned a vacation home that they could go to. The two planned how to get there and parted ways, just about as awkwardly as a high school couple. Should they hug, shake hands, kiss maybe? In the end the two did nothing, just standing at the bus stop until it arrived. Kaede said good night and got on the bus, watching Yuri as the vehicle left.

The problem was when Kaede got home, however, and Kotetsu was waiting for her. He wanted to spend her last week of summer break doing father-daughter things with her. He had shopping trips and restaurants picked out, and he wanted to ask her opinion about them, but she blurted out she was going on vacation with a friend from college who wanted to visit way out in the country since they grew up in Sternbild.

Her father was crestfallen. His little girl wanted to go away after completing her internship? He begged and pleaded, but nothing would sway her mind. And when he asked what time she was leaving, she said very early the next day. He balked at that and put his foot down at that.

"What?! So soon?! Kaede, we won't have any time together! Daddy misses you! I refuse to let you go!"

"Dad, I'll be gone for a week, and then I'll be back here to finish school! It's not like I live in a dorm or anything, I stay here..."

"But I'll be so lonely. I had plans for us to go shopping!"

"Isn't that why you have Barnaby? Hug him for comfort!"

"But he's so muscular and you're so soft..." He whined and pouted at his daughter.

Kaede blushed and glowered at the retired Hero. "Pervert!"

She stormed into her room, slammed the door, and started packing with lightning speed. She spent the rest of the night debating what to wear, what to bring, and how much makeup to pack. Barnaby and Kotetsu sat in the living room, listening to her fret, panic, and toss things around.

"You'd think she was going to see a man, not go on a trip with one of her girlfriends," Kotetsu grumbled, arms crossed over his chest. He had to give into the will of his daughter, mostly because his partner had talked him out of locking her up for the week.

"Well, she is friends with Karina. Perhaps she rubbed some of her makeup wearing ways off onto her?" Barnaby thumbed through the latest magazine he had picked up on his last trip to the store.

"I hope not!" Kotetsu huffed. His daughter was so pure and innocent, he didn't need her wearing makeup like Karina did.

The next day, Kotetsu hugged his daughter tight and told her to call him every morning and evening. She promised, mostly to get him to let go of her, and went to catch a train. And then a car. And finally, she took a walk down a beautiful country road that guided her through a field and into a gathering of trees. On the other side of the trees was a large vacation home with a porch, two stories, and... cliffs. The house was placed perfectly on top of a cliff and Kaede could hear the cold smash of ocean waves breaking over rocks. It was a really remote location, honestly.

Yuri was standing on the porch, dressed in a white button down shirt that was not tucked in, the top two buttons unfastened, and charcoal slacks with comfortable looking loafers on his feet. He smiled slightly at Kaede and raised a hand at her. She hurried along down the path and grinned up at the judge, who looked younger, taller, and more relaxed than he had in the stuffy office he worked in.

"Thank you for meeting me, Kaede." He offered her his hand, holding hers as he turned and went into the vacation home. The man had a lot to think about, mostly like how he hadn't heard a lot from Lunatic that summer. The voice in his head had been relatively absent unless it was the nights leading up to a full moon. It was something he wanted to ponder on during this coming week, when he wasn't enjoying getting to know Kaede.

"Thank you for inviting me," she murmured, squeezing his fingers gently and traipsing after the judge, closing the door behind her. It was sure to be an exciting week.

* * *

"She isn't picking up her phone!" Kotetsu roared and snapped his phone shut. Barnaby looked up at his agitated partner, let out a sigh, and then put his book down.

"Take it easy Kotetsu, she's with her friend. They're probably just settling into wherever they're staying. She'll call, trust me. And don't break that phone, we got it because you snapped the last one in half." Barnaby hoped she would call. He didn't want to admit it, especially not to Kotetsu, but he was rather certain his partner's instinct was right and Kaede was on vacation with a man, not a girlfriend from school. But she was old enough to make her own decisions and he was not her biological father, so he had no desire to get involved with that waiting disaster.

"She'd better!"

"Come on, we're having dinner soon and I'd like you to try my new curry recipe. Why don't you focus on that?" Barnaby got up and tried to get Kotetsu interested in something besides where his daughter was at the moment.

* * *

Once Kaede and Yuri were in the large house, she took a good look around the entrance way. It was pretty sparse, honestly. A place to put shoes, a mirror, and a small table tucked just below the reflective surface. Everything was done in what the paint mixers must call "white that is thinking about blue" because it wasn't white, and yet it very nearly was. There was just a whisper of a blue hue somewhere in the mix, difficult as it was to detect.

"Let me show you around," the man said, releasing his guest's hand. Kaede noticed there was a faint tinge of pink to his exceedingly pale cheeks and couldn't help but feel a flutter in her stomach. He was nervous too.

The tour of the downstairs wasn't anything too wild. The entrance way opened up into a main living room, where there were two couches, an armchair next to a standing lamp, and a television set placed on a stand near the wall. Through an opening was the dining room, and attached to that was the kitchen. Large glass doors lead to a back porch near the dining table, which could seat four comfortably, and the kitchen looked as if it had been recently stocked.

"I actually left after our talk to get the house ready," Yuri admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I hadn't stocked the fridge in a long time and I opened most of the doors and windows to try and air the place out a bit."

"This is a lovely house," Kaede said, looking at the scallop edging on the wall.

"Yes, it is nice. I intended to use it if I ever had need to, should my identity as Lunatic be discovered." Yuri was glancing out the window at the ocean, a small frown on his face. With a wry smile, he turned to his guest. "Funny that the one person who knows my identity is actually in this house with me."

Nervously, Kaede returned the smile, feeling a shiver of panic. It was still terrifying to think she was staying with someone who killed people. _Bad people_ , she reminded herself firmly. He only killed bad people. _Unless it can't be helped._

Petrov took a step closer to Kaede. "Are you alright? You look a bit pale. Are you feeling unwell?"

"I, um, I think I might be." She took a hesitant step back, looking up into the judge's eyes. Concern was there. He was worried about her. The foolish thoughts that were invading her mind were silly and made no sense. The judge didn't bring her here to _kill_ her. Did he?

"Of course. It was such a long journey. Here, I'll show you to your room." Gently turning his guest around, Yuri guided the young woman to the stairs with a soft touch to her lower back. He was so close that she felt her cheeks burning. His breath was near her shoulder and for a moment Kaede longed to be carried up the stairs by him in a display of passion and need.

More stupid thoughts in her head, of course. Shoving them as far out of her mind as possible, the college student paused once she got to the second floor landing. Yuri was right behind her and said softly, "To the right."

They walked down the small hallway, where there were four doors. "Two are rooms, one is a closet, and the last is a bathroom. My room is at the end of the hallway, yours is right here." Her room was the first door. Gently pushing it open, she walked in and looked around. A large queen sized bed, closet in the room, a dresser, and a full length mirror took up about half of the space in the room.

"It's beautiful," Kaede murmured, eyes widening. This room was painted a soft shade of blue and pictures of purple and pink flowers were hung on the walls.

"Thank you. My mother had insisted on giving me several framed pictures when I became an adult, for my own house, she said. I thought they would do best here." Far away from his gaze, he thought dryly.

The chestnut haired woman set her bag down and looked around the room. Taking in a slow breath, she said softly, "I think I'm going to lay down for a little bit. I'll see you in an hour?"

Yuri could see the flickers of worry in Kaede's soft caramel colored eyes. He reached out to cup her cheek, hesitated before he touched her, and dropped his hand instead. "Of course. I'll be in the living room, take all the time you need."

"Thank you," she whispered before closing the door most of the way. She left it open a crack and waited until she heard Yuri's feet on the stairs before she began to unpack her bag and open the window a bit. She just needed some time to think and settle her thoughts. Everything had happened so fast, Kaede didn't know what to think yet.

Yuri sat downstairs reading a book he had picked up about the history of modern medicine, settling in for a read in an attempt to distract himself from the thought that he and Kaede were in this house, alone, for a week. His mind was racing with the possibilities, but he could sense her hesitance and didn't want to push her into doing anything she didn't want to. He was a gentleman, not a monster, and he was determined to show prove that to her. He could be both Lunatic and Yuri.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: So this chapter was mostly redone, I kept about half of the original content I think and stretched/scratched out a bunch as well. I like it better this way though, honestly. These two need some time alone.


	11. Chapter 11

The first thing that Kaede did, once she was certain Yuri was downstairs and out of earshot, was carefully close the door and call her father. She was dreading doing it, but it still had to be done. He picked up after the first ring.

"Kaede? Kaede, how's the trip?"

"It's great dad. We just got to our first destination! We're going to grab some food before we got to the hotel, I just wanted to call and let you know I'm okay." They talked for a couple minutes about safety when traveling and trying to keep her NEXT abilities to herself. When the man began to whine about wishing she was home with him, his daughter said she had to go and hung up.

After that, she changed into a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top and laid on top of the bed that had been made up with a comfortable looking quilt and cotton sheets. Setting an alarm on her phone for an hour, she closed her eyes and let her mind wander about, bouncing from topic to topic as easily as a leaf blowing over in the wind.

At some point Kaede must've fallen asleep, because her phone went off with a remixed version of Fur Elise and startled her awake. Reaching blindly for the device, she shut it off and blinked blearily up at the ceiling. Slowly the memories of where she was came back and the woman stood, stumbling for the dresser that had the clothes she unpacked into it. Taking out a white dress with pale pink flowers on the hem, she dressed before going down to the main living room. Yuri was reading a book and she just watched for a moment. He looked up and offered her a tiny smile, just barely lifting the corners of his mouth.

"Kaede, are you feeling any better?"

"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry I needed to rest so shortly after arriving, I just feel a bit nervous, I think."

"That makes two of us, then. Would you like to sit down?" He gestured to the open spot on the couch next to him and she took the seat, smoothing her dress along the backs of her thighs as she sat down.

"Yuri, I wanted to ask you…"

"Yes?" He dreaded the question, thinking that it might be something like if he intended to murder her, should she ever reveal his secret.

"Do you think it'd be possible for me to… to learn how to use your fire?" Kaede looked nervous and even a bit distressed by the question, toying with her necklace as she spoke.

"Oh. I don't see why not, it is not something that anyone has asked me before." Then again, he had not met another chameleon type NEXT, to his knowledge.

The young woman beamed and turned a bit to face him. He stared at her eager expression and smiled despite himself. There was something utterly enchanting about Kaede. Perhaps it was her persistently positive attitude. It was so unusual compared to the normal people that were around the judge.

"How do I start?"

After setting his book down on the end table, Yuri leaned over and reached up, brushing a few strands of brown hair from Kaede's forehead, tucking them behind her ear. In a low voice, he murmured, "First you must activate your ability."

It was easy for the blushing woman to activate her NEXT ability because of how quickly her heart was beating. Judge Petrov was very charming like this and she stared into his eyes as hers began to glow electric blue. The judge tensed and stared as tiny licks of flame teased along her lashes. An ache in the pit of his stomach made him take in a slow, steady breath, calming himself so he didn't do anything impulsive.

"Now then, concentrate on what you want the fire to do." Leaning away, the man held his hand up, activated his NEXT ability, and a small ball of fire began to form. He rolled it over his fingers, slid it into his palm, and transferred it to his other hand. He made it look so easy.

Kaede attempted to imitate him, but when she made fire it more exploded into life in her palms and she let out a startled cry, mild panic causing the flames to start traveling up her bare arms. They didn't burn her, but she easily lost her focus when her fingers were lost beneath bright blue and green lashes, heat hitting her face.

"Calm down, Kaede. It's alright. The fire won't burn you, you just have to focus." Yuri's voice was low and soothing. He held out his hands and continued to talk. "Put your hands over mine. Imagine the fire receding back to your fingers, but do not let it go out."

It was an effort, but seeing the judge's hands under her own had the woman trying again. She stared at her burning hands and took in a deep breath. Slowly she regained control of her thoughts and watched the flames creep back down her arms. No marks were left in their wake, which gave her confidence. When the fire was back to her hands, she let out a slow breath.

"Good. Now, try to make a ball of fire. Just a little one. You aren't ready for arrows yet," he teased, a smile tugging at one side of his mouth.

Glancing up to see Yuri smirking at her, Kaede blushed again and cleared her throat. "It's not nice to tease girls," she said, turning her hands over so her palms were facing up. In her left palm she formed a small ball of fire, fascinated by the blue and green flames that danced so merrily and harmlessly there.

"It may not be, but it is something I have always wanted to do," he replied, brushing his fingers along the backs of her hands before he made a ball of fire in the opposite hand. "Now, try to transfer it between your hands." He demonstrated and Kaede tried to mimic the motion.

Her fire flared out before it disappeared. She had deactivated her power and sat there, looking mildly puzzled.

"Ah. That can happen. Would you like to try again?" Yuri shifted on his side of the couch and leaned against the arm of it, getting comfortable as he gazed at Kaede. She looked beautiful in that dress.

"I would, I just. I'm afraid of burning my dress." Looking a bit sheepish, she gazed at the material that she wore. "I know the fire won't burn me, but what about my clothes?"

Oh. That made sense, she wouldn't want to try playing with fire if it meant accidentally exposing herself. Clearing his throat, Petrov said as calmly as possible, "You will have to concentrate a lot at first to avoid burning your clothes, but after a time it will become second nature." Hesitating, he said after a moment, "Would you like me to give you privacy for a while?"

Nervously toying with her necklace, Kaede nodded. "Yes, please. I really do appreciate it."

Smiling in a gentle way at her, Yuri leaned over and pressed his lips softly to her hairline. "Think nothing of it. I will come check on you in a while, alright?"

The man left and Kaede sighed, running her fingers nervously over her hair. It was hard to concentrate when Yuri was being so sweet to her. She just wanted to be wrapped up in his embrace and hear him murmuring softly into her ear all night.

Forcing those thoughts away again, she sat on the floor and concentrated. Making the fire wasn't hard, but taming it and keeping it within the parameters she decided on was not simple. It was even more challenging because all she could think of was the night Yuri had said she looked beautiful wearing his fire.

How long had it been until Kaede really knew that he was Lunatic? Maybe deep down she always knew it and had just avoided thinking about it. She didn't want to know that the kind judge was a murderer, when she was a child. Not that it was easier to accept as an adult, but she thought she had a better understanding of it. Several questions popped into her mind and she meant to ask the judge about them the next time she had a chance.

Yuri promised to give Kaede her space, and he intended to. After retreating to his bedroom, he sat in an armchair with a light, trying to read, but the idea of her playing with that blue and green fire kept invading his mind. It caused him to tense up in a few ways, and with a low groan, he ran his fingers through his hair before he stood up and began to pace. It was true that he had unique feelings for the woman, otherwise she wouldn't be at his safe house and he wouldn't be in his room, trying to calm down. She could wear his fire and looked beautiful doing it. Every time he thought about her letting that fire lick at the tresses of her chestnut hair and her lashes, his mouth grew dry and a desire to hold her almost overcame him. Rubbing at his temples, Petrov slumped in the seat, sighing heavily.

To distract himself from his thoughts and hopefully calm him down more, he went to take a shower, turning it as cold as possible and standing under the running water until his mind was nearly numb.

After an hour and a half, thinking that was plenty of time for Kaede to have a good chance at concentrating on using his fire, he put his clothes back on, left his hair down, and went to check on her. Yuri walked down the stairs, knocking lightly on the opening to the living room.

"Kaede?"

When he got no answer, the slender man peered in. The young woman was curled up on the floor, the bottom of her dress singed, but otherwise unharmed. She had fallen asleep. With a small smile, he moved over to his guest and slid his arms beneath her form, one arm cradling her shoulders, the other under her knees.

"Hnnn… Yuri?"

"Yes, what is it, Kaede?"

She didn't say anything and shifted to press close to his chest. He stared down at her with a calm and even fond look in his eyes, a small smile on his mouth. She was so innocent like this. Carrying her up the stairs as gently as he could, he tucked her into bed and leaned down, kissing her forehead. Yuri didn't close her door fully, instead leaving it open a crack so that she didn't feel trapped when she woke up.

Somehow, in the back of his mind, Yuri felt that his guest may think she was his prisoner. Well, not his, but _his_.

It was a little bit after sun set. Yuri was reading a book on the couch in the large living room, his legs stretched out in front of him as he leaned partly against the corner of the seat, where the arm and back met. He felt warmth over his eyes and tensed up, about to snap at whatever had dared to put their hands over his face, but his brain quickly spat information out regarding why someone was invading his personal space. He was not in his office or his home, he was in his vacation home with Kaede Kaburagi, and she was spending the week here with him at his own request.

He sighed and relaxed again, sinking into the couch and reaching up to touch the wrist of the young woman with him. He compared his almost ashen pallor to her sun kissed skin and smiled, slowly lifting his gaze up to look at her. She smiled shyly down at him and the man let her go. Kaede moved to sit next to him on the couch, wearing comfortable looking pajamas with pink moons and stars on a grey and white marbled background. Yuri shifted to make room for her and she took the invitation, sliding into the space between his legs and the back of the couch. She wasn't quite cuddling him, but she was a lot closer to him than she had ever been before.

"What is it, Kaede?"

"You're so warm, Yuri." She felt her cheeks warming from embarrassment and he smiled, lowering his book to his lap and touching her cheek with the backs of his fingers. She leaned into his touch and his eyes glinted, curiosity getting the better of him. He knew that the young woman with him had some sort of feelings for him, and to be honest, he had to admit he held some for her as well. It was time to see if they meant anything special.

Slowly Petrov leaned down, turning his hand over and placing his palm on her neck, long fingers splayed over the nape, his thumb resting just under her ear. She looked up shyly and he hesitated when their eyes met. However, she smiled and reached up, touching his hand and biting the inside of her lower lip, the question and her answer clear in her eyes: did he want to kiss her? She wanted him to.

"May I, Kaede?"

She breathed her answer. "Yes."

Kaede closed her eyes and Yuri leaned forward the rest of the way, pressing his mouth to hers and feeling the warmth that she nearly radiated. The kiss was warm and soft, her lips slightly moist, and she tasted sweet. As sweet as the desserts she was constantly making. His fingers clenched a little, grasping at her hair and she made a sound, just a slight noise, but it encouraged the older man. He wound his other arm around her shoulders and drew her slight form closer to his as he pressed more insistently upon her mouth. She reached up and held his shoulders as if to steady herself, lashes fluttering as she tilted her head, initiating a deeper embrace. Yuri was reeling with the feelings he was experiencing. The purity he had known had blossomed into a lovely young woman, and she was accepting his embrace and even returning it. She knew who and what he was, but she was with him for the whole week, alone and trusting and kissing him. He had hope.

When the two parted they were both out of breath, embarrassment etched on Kaede's face while Yuri looked nearly stunned. He reached up and touched her cheek with his fingertips, searching her gaze for answers neither of them had yet. He licked his mouth, leaned close, and then ran his tongue over her lower lip. The lady shuddered, but it was not of repulsion, it was with desire. Need. They both had a need and Yuri closed the space between them again, pressing his tongue past her lips this time and being rewarded with another sound. Those sounds were musical, they made him hunger to hear more of them, however he paused and slowly withdrew from his partner instead. Kaede half followed and leaned against his side, her warm bosom pressing against his torso; he yearned for her in that moment.

"I... would like... ... are you hungry?" Yuri was lost at this point. He knew everything there was about Heroes and sinners, nothing was unknown to him regarding his job, but he had never accepted advances or tried to initiate a romance with anyone before. He had seen the looks, every now and then, from women who wished to indulge in intimate moments with him, and supposed they might have been attracted to his cold and aloof attitude, but he had no interest in encouraging them. He desired something more than simple carnal pleasures and the status boost that he could be used for at the gossip mill. He internally rolled his eyes at the thought that he was considered a prize, a notch on a bedpost, simply because he was not married and was considered a powerful person of influence in the Justice Bureau.

Kaede's lashes fluttered and she slowly nodded. "Yes, I am hungry, actually. Would you like me to make some food?"

Yuri smiled kindly down at her and carefully moved, sitting them both up. How had they ended up laying on the couch together? He didn't remember that part while he was... being attentive to the young woman with him. He stood slowly, turned and offered his hand to his guest, who took it and let him help her off of the couch, and then walked with the beautiful woman into his kitchen. They looked through the freshly stocked fridge and picked out something to make, working together to prepare it. There were several times when his hand would brush over hers, or he would touch her shoulder in a familiar way, or he would smile, a tiny yet relaxed expression, and she returned it warmly. They ate together and washed the dishes, and when it was all done she showed him the progress she had made with his fire while they were sitting on the couch again. It ran along her hair and toyed with it, but did not burn it, and it rested on top of her clothes, but did not ruin the material she had on.

"No wonder you were exhausted," he said, a wave of desire threatening to overrun him as he watched licks of fire dance through her chestnut hair. He had longed to see it before and now it was a reality. It caused an impulsive need to pin her down and cause new noises of delight to escape her while he drank in the sight of his fire on tussled locks of chestnut hair. He kept himself in check, but just barely, and if she had been watching him, his desires were almost written plain as day in his eyes.

"This fire is so beautiful," Kaede said, watching it wind about her fingers almost playfully, too focused on her hands to look up at just that moment.

"It is, but it looks so much more beautiful on you." Yuri leaned forward and reached out to touch her jaw. She looked up and sighed as he kissed her. The judge let his eyes turn the electric blue that matched hers, and the fire flickered in his eyes as he slid himself off of the couch, guiding her down to the floor after him, and pressed her back gently against the carpet beneath them. Kaede reached up and touched his hair, hearing his sigh as he slid his hand along hers, encouraging its movement into the pale strands. He braced himself with his other hand, not wishing to crush what he presumed to be the delicate female beneath him. He knew she wasn't as fragile as he thought, and yet he feared that any amount of pain would send her as far away from him as possible. She opened her mouth to say something, but whatever that thought was got cut off by a high pitched ringtone from an end table.

Kaede looked frustrated and was about to ignore it, but Yuri slid back and helped her sit up. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and told her to answer the phone; he'd still be here when she was done. His heart was pounding in a strong, excited way. It was similar to how Lunatic made him feel right before they enacted justice on a caught criminal, but this hammering in his chest left a desire that even the law of Thanatos could not elicit.

With a small defeated sigh, the young woman answered her phone and spoke quickly, sounding annoyed and shocked as she argued with the person on the other line. Petrov presumed it was her father from the way she paced and how she tensed up right at her shoulders, a little furrow in her forehead causing him to smile. He remembered that furrow now; he had seen it the last time she was arguing with the old man. He liked seeing her just a bit frustrated, it looked very attractive on her.

When she finished with the phone call she looked irritated, but it was not full blown anger. He smiled at her childish annoyance at her father and stood slowly, stretching and feeling his muscles tense before they relaxed. "Come Kaede, you should go to bed. Tomorrow we can visit the ocean here."

She looked like she was about to say something, a warm heat rising in her cheeks, and he raised a brow in reply. "I will be here all week with you; I won't disappear in the night." Her flush darkened and he went over, took her arm and slid it through his so that it rested in the crook of his elbow, and then led her to her room. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her mouth, hunger and desire making him wish to ravage her on the spot, and she seemed only too willing to accept that, but he was a gentleman and restrained himself. He drew away from the tempting woman, licking his mouth so that he could taste the sweetness of dessert from her lips one more time. She sighed, gazing up at him.

"Until tomorrow, Kaede. Sleep well." He touched her cheek, hesitated, and then turned, going to his own room to rest in the end. Perhaps he was a coward who simply lacked the courage to do anything more than kiss the sweet woman that had agreed to stay with him during this honeymoon-esque vacation. Lunatic had been surprisingly quiet all day, and he wondered if the vessel of Thanatos's voice was ignoring him or being polite.

Yuri was trying to sleep when he heard a soft knock on his door and it opened. He had been lying in bed for about an hour, trying to force himself to rest and get the thoughts of Kaede out of his head when she said quietly at the door, "I heard a weird noise in my room, Yuri. I don't… I can't find where the noise came from and it worries me. Can I… May I stay with you tonight?"

The man who had been trying and failing miserably at sleeping sat up slowly, his hair out of the silk ribbon that normally kept most of it back, the pins gone from one side, and he regarded her quietly. This was a bad idea. A terrible, bad idea. He knew there was a high chance of something specific happening if she stayed in his bed tonight, and she must have known it too. His fine cotton pajama top was partly open, the bottoms clinging to his hips from how he had rolled back and forth, trying to get comfortable enough to rest until the sun rose, and he finally let out a soft, defeated sigh. He could no more deny Kaede what she asked than the sun could stop rising every day.

"Alright, come on then. I had no idea you were afraid of the dark." He moved over in the queen sized bed and gently patted the mattress. She quickly moved under the blankets, bright pink as she said something about being scared of big empty rooms more than the dark.

"I'm not scared of the dark, I'm scared of whatever noise I heard that I couldn't find the source of!"

With a teasing tone, he leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Are you sure that's it, Kaede?"

Indignantly she let out a squeak of protest, but there was a faint smile on her lips as well. "It's probably a mouse in the walls, but it's a new house and I've lived in the city too long, now."

"Possibly. I'll check in the morning, alright?" He brushed his fingers along her hair and stared down at her, drinking in the vision of the beautiful woman laying next to him in bed, clad in a simple set of cotton pajamas, looking defenseless and smiling up at him.

After a while they just laid there, talking quietly about the dark, scary stories, and fairy tales until they both fell asleep, Yuri's arm wound around Kaede's middle, her hand pressed firmly against his, and their legs tangled together in a pleasant mess.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: This chapter got expanded because I really wanted to explore Kaede trying to play with Yuri's fire more. …Double meaning fully intended.


	12. Chapter 12

Notes from VP: Okay, this is the chapter that earned the "M" rating. NSFW, all that jazz. So if you don't want to read this chapter or can't, you can guess what happened in the next chapter.

This is my bumper to give warning of the naughty.

* * *

In the morning Yuri found himself pressed against Kaede's back, hugging her to his form and breathing in her dark colored hair. He blinked slowly, smiled just a bit, and then closed his eyes again, desiring nothing more than to stay in bed with this lovely woman and let the world pass them by uninterrupted.

Eventually Kaede woke up and rolled over, facing Yuri and smiling sleepily up at him. She giggled after a moment.

"What is it?"

"Your hair is sticking up funny," she commented, reaching up and touching a pale strand that was horribly out of place. He smiled down at her and leaned forward, pressing his mouth gently to hers. She returned the affection and he sighed as he pulled away a few moments later.

"Alright. Let us get some food before I show you the beach." He sat up, realizing his shirt buttons had come undone sometime in the night, and looked down at his bare chest. He did have some muscle, of course. Lunatic had to have a healthy and fit vessel of his own to operate while he was chasing sinners and retreating from the Heroes. Kaede stared at him and his cheeks darkened, suddenly feeling self conscious. "What?"

"Your skin is like marble." She reached out and placed her fingers on his stomach, being rewarded with a low groan that passed his lips. She stared, wanting to slide her fingers along his abdomen. After a moment of hesitation she got up the courage and did, feeling his skin quiver as his hands clenched into fists. Those innocent caramel eyes stared up at him as she asked, "Is something wrong?"

Yuri smiled thinly down at her. "Kaede, you really are too pure... You are a young woman sleeping in the bed of a man, touching his bare stomach, and you do not realize the effects it has on the body?" She glanced down quickly, her cheeks turned scarlet, and she nearly fell out of the bed.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to... Are you okay?" She looked a bit perplexed and Yuri shifted, trying to force himself to relax. She was so naive, so pure. It was both infuriating and exhilarating, although he didn't quite understand why. Perhaps he thought that he would be alone forever, and here he was with a woman who might be learning something new alongside him. It felt… comforting.

"I'll be fine. Go get dressed, I'll be downstairs soon." After Kaede sheepishly left, apologizing a couple of times for what she had inadvertently done to him, he took a cold shower again. Unfortunately, it did not help the heat that had firmly settled in his gut. He groaned in the shower and hunched over a bit, handling the problem the only other way he could that did not involve the woman who had started all of this.

Kaede was downstairs in another dress, this one pink and black with lace along the edges. Yuri joined her after a half hour, his hair dry, wearing another button down that was not tucked in and open at the top, slacks resting comfortably on his hips. He resisted the urge to grab the woman and kiss her, choosing to instead busy himself in the fridge with eggs and cheese.

While Yuri started to cook Kaede called her father, letting him know she was still alright and telling him that she and her friend were going to the beach today. He whined about missing her and lamented about how he wanted her home with him. She ended the call quickly and returned to the kitchen to watch Yuri cook with ease and grace. He felt her gaze on him and looked over his shoulder at her, smiling a bit.

"You're amazing in the kitchen," she said, just watching for a moment or two. The judge smirked and continued with the omelets he was making.

After breakfast they went down to the beach. The water was cold, the sand was dark, and they walked hand in hand, talking about their fond memories from over the years. Most of Yuri's were about eating a sweet dessert. Kaede's were of times with her grandmother. The weather was not as warm as it had been a few weeks ago, so they did not go swimming, but Kaede did wander into the water up to her calves, enjoying the feel and trying to coax Yuri in with her. He chuckled dryly and said he didn't want to step on a sleeping shark, which got her out of the water fast. In her rush she stumbled, and he reached out to catch her, holding the woman safely in his arms and smiling fondly down at her. She swallowed and then began to grin, wrapping her arms about his slender waist and standing there with him, feeling a happiness that she had never quite known, yet had longed for since she was young.

Yuri's mother was under the impression her son was gone for the week on a school trip. For the last couple of weeks she had lived extensively in the past, and he did not trust her to know anything except that her husband was alive and her son was fifteen again. He had made everything for her food-wise for a week and she could continue to blissfully live in her delusion without him. The visiting nurses would check on her and call him if there were any emergencies, but he was rather certain nothing would go awry. The woman was delusional, not dangerous to herself. He idly wondered if she was alright, but he had cameras set up that were feeding video into his phone and an alarm that would quietly sound if anything went wrong, like a fire or she fell and didn't move for more than five minutes. It was a new technology program that he had bought a copy of specifically for this kind of situation, and most customers used it for aging parents they did not want to leave alone yet could not stay with, either.

Since it was a bit cooler than they had originally anticipated, they left the beach before noon and walked home hand in hand, choosing to instead read books next to one another on the couch and then watch a little bit of television. Kaede was curious to watch Hero TV and Yuri put his arm around her shoulders, feeling her cuddle up to him as they enjoyed their honey sweetened tea and watched the Heroes they both knew as they chases down criminals.

Kaede stared intently. She looked down into her mug, which had slowly been cooling, and then sighed. The man next to her asked what was wrong. She finally looked up at him. "They try to catch you all the time, Yuri. What happens if they do?"

He searched her gaze and leaned down, pressing his mouth gently to hers before he spoke, trying to reassure the young woman. "They will never catch me, Kaede. Lunatic won't allow it."

She wasn't sure about that, but she wanted to believe him. Raising her mug to her lips, she scrunched her nose up when she realized her tea was cold. Yuri smiled when he realized why Kaede was making a face and his eyes glowed that enchanting shade of blue. He waved his finger slowly, producing a small flame for her to see. He placed the little lick of fire under the cup she held and the woman felt it warm up in her hands. Her eyes lit up and she beamed, seeing a new side to the fire that Yuri controlled.

"That's amazing," she breathed.

"You are easily amused," he said, leaning down to kiss her again. She eagerly complied, ignoring what he said about how easy to entertain she was, trying to keep depressing questions out of her mind so that she didn't bring the mood down again.

The rest of the day was spent contently. Yuri pulled a thousand piece puzzle out of the entertainment stand the television was on, and they worked on that, talking the whole time about their interests, hobbies, and other such nonsense.

That night while she was sleeping, Kaede found herself within an intense dream. She dreamed of the bright blue and green fire making its way up her thighs, of Yuri sitting before her, inviting her to play with the heat that it produced, desire nearly rolling down her body. She gasped and woke up in bed, panting as she realized she had pulled her shirt most of the way up over her chest. She hastily adjusted the material so that she was decent once more before she looked over at Yuri. He was sleeping and thankfully didn't know what had just happened. Still afraid of the large empty room with the odd noises in the walls, which he had of course checked but found nothing, he allowed her to join him in his bed again. She felt comfortable there and sank back down into the sheets, fidgeting and squirming. That dream had her on edge for several reasons, but there were other factors that kept her shifting about in the bed. Finally it was enough and Yuri slowly blinked down at the young woman.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah! I'm fine, Yuri. J-just fine." He noticed her cheeks were flushed a dark shade of pink and she was biting her lip. He stared at her, half asleep, and draped an arm over her stomach, drawing the squirming woman close to him like a body pillow and resting his head in the crook of her neck. Closing his eyes, he intended to go back to sleep, but her constant shifting was making that impossible, which quickly resumed after he held her snugly against his form.

"Kaede..."

"I'm sorry, I had a dream."

"A nightmare?" Eyes still closed, his brow furrowed in slight irritation. She was more like a child than he thought, which was not particularly pleasing to think about.

"N-no... a... a different... kind of dream." She said it in a way that piqued his interest and he opened his eyes just slightly, looking at the woman curiously. She breathed her next sentence, almost as if she was afraid to utter it. "You were touching me, underneath my clothes."

It was Yuri's turn to blush as thoughts of her being childish fled his mind. He swallowed and his grip on her side tightened. He was wide awake now. In a soft, quiet tone, not daring to believe what he was hearing or thinking at the moment, he answered her with a question. "I was? Where... was I touching you?"

She did not answer. Instead, she lifted his hand from her side, shifted his arm, and gently placed his fingers under her pajama top. She slid his hand up an inch or two and let him figure out where he had been touching her for himself. His heart pounded as he very hesitantly placed his hand upon her breast, slowly curling his fingers inward until he grasped her fully in his palm. She let out a soft cry, not of pain, but of pleasure.

He licked his mouth, desire glazing his eyes and making him need more. But he was no monster. He did wait a few moments before he spoke again, though. His voice was low and husky as he tried to restrain himself. "Is that the only place?"

"No, b-but... you had both of your hands... u-under my shirt.. in my dream." Kaede's breath was growing quicker and the judge narrowed his eyes. He moved gently, slowly shifting the two of them so his torso was pressed to her back. His other arm encircled her waist and his hand slid up, fingers brushing over her untouched breast carefully. He heard her small sound that he took to mean pleasure.

His warm breath washed over her ear, followed by his mouth as he said, "Was it like this then?" He gently fondled the woman, rubbing his thumbs into her tips that hardened beneath the simple ministrations. He heard her gasp, felt her heart pound beneath his long, supple fingers. He held her form close to his and didn't try to hide the heat that was rising between his legs, wanting her to feel what kind of effects she had on him. He pressed his mouth to her neck, just below her ear, and breathed her name. She mewled in response as he pinched her stiff buds and rolled them between his thumb and forefinger, her hips jerking suddenly. For several moments he enjoyed the reactions he was eliciting from Kaede, those surprised moans, soft whimpers, and the way that her hips twitched every now and then. When he was done pinching her nipples, he moved his hands to cup each breast, curling his fingers into the soft skin and squeezing her within his palms. Yuri found it relaxing and exciting at the same time to do this, breathing softly against his partner's neck before he began to kiss and even offer a lick or two to the warm flesh. He could have kept fondling her for hours, but she was driving him crazy with her squirming. He whispered in her ear, pale lips against the warm lobe, "Tell me where else I was touching you, Kaede."

She moaned, his voice and his touch causing her nerves to stand on end and melt with desire. With a trembling, shaking voice, she replied, "B-between.. my legs..."

Yuri inhaled sharply. But he did not just venture down there like some foolish teenager, even though there was a small part of him that begged for him to do just that. He continued to massage and cup her bosom, teasing her ear and murmuring nothing of importance into it. But he did finally ask, "May I touch you there?"

"Yes... oh yes, please.." The need was evident in her tone. Yuri took his time even still, savoring every time her skin quivered under his fingertips, each breath she drew in sharply, every sound she made. He slowly slid his hands down Kaede's stomach, splaying his fingers out and hesitating at her waistband. He asked again and she replied once more, nearly begging him to touch her this time. This was a power he had not expected to have, and it made the corners of his lips quirk up in mild amusement.

"As you wish, Kaede."

His hands slid beneath her pajama bottoms, one hand gently pulling her undergarments up as the other inched even lower. His arms were long and he rested his chin on her shoulder, touching over the nearly searing warmth that emitted from beneath her clothes. He licked his mouth, touching the soft fuzz that covered her womanhood. He lowered his hand a bit further, sliding his finger slowly up between the delicate and silken folds, hearing the moan that it earned him and smiling. She was sensitive to his touch and he liked that. He repeated the action, lazily dragging his finger up and down her folds just so he could hear her sweet mewling noises in response. Petrov craved more though and found what he desired. A little dip in her folds and his finger was slowly pressing inside of her. Kaede's breath left her quickly and she trembled under his touch and ministrations.

Yuri stroked inside of her body with one long finger, feeling the tight silken wetness and exercising great restraint to not just let his desire run freely. He inched his other hand back up to her torso and resumed fondling her chest, breathing deeply and slowly against the woman's neck as she squirmed against him. She was trying to push her legs apart but her clothes were getting in the way.

After several long moments of moaning as Yuri teased her with his fingers, Kaede asked to take her pajamas off. Reluctantly he pulled back, letting the chestnut haired woman undo the buttons on her shirt and slide her pants and underwear off. He gazed at her with longing, seeing her with merely an open shirt draped across her shoulders, her breasts barely covered by the fabric, firm tips pressing against the material. He sat behind her, sitting up with her in the bed. She crossed her legs and he laid his legs against the outside of hers. The man slid his hands along her body, starting from her feet and ending with her hair. Kaede sighed and relaxed against the tall man with her, comparing his ashen colored skin to her light peach colored hue. She wiggled to push her thighs apart properly and he obliged, shifting and dropping a hand slowly down over her stomach to resume what he had been doing. This time, as he slid his finger into her warm depths, he grasped her jaw with the other set of lengthy digits and turned her head, leaning down for a heated kiss. His mouth was open, as was hers. Their tongues met and wound together as his finger started to move faster within her warm depths. She let out frequent moans and he held her neck gently in place, murmuring her name as he pressed a second finger into her opening.

She drew back far enough from the kiss to speak. "Ah, Yuri!"

"Kaede, you feel so warm..." He smiled, his eyes partly closed, and his irises glowed an electric blue. "But would you like to feel warmer?"

Her heart pounded as she nodded, intrigued by what he meant, but trusting this man with her body in a way she never thought possible. He curled his fingers inside of her and she cried out, arching her back as pleasure snapped through her like a whip. He kissed her again and then she felt it; the heat he was talking about. As his eyes glowed that electric blue, blissfully warm fingers rubbed fervently inside of her, and she glanced down, seeing tiny licks of fire entering her when his long digits pressed into her. But it wasn't burning her, wasn't searing her insides or making her scream. It felt good. _Really_ good.

"Yuri, how are you...?"

"I have great control over this fire... If I wished for it to burn you, it would. But I wish for it to warm you instead." He quirked a brow and she pushed a few strands of his ash colored hair from his face. He placed a gentle kiss to her lips and withdrew his slick, dripping fingers. He hesitated. "Did.. you wish for me to...?" He couldn't even ask the question.

Kaede blushed but she nodded, looking almost sheepish. Yuri nodded and moved the two of them once more, laying his partner down on her back and running his hands over her body. He kissed her mouth, her chin, her neck, her shoulders... all the way down until he pressed his mouth to her groin. He continued on, down her thigh and leg, down her calf, to her foot, and then he worked his way back up. The woman beneath him moaned and shuddered in anticipation and with unbridled desire. Yuri leaned back and stood, shrugging his shirt off of his shoulders and hooking his thumbs in the waist of his pants. He slid them down, grabbing his briefs too, and stood before Kaede so she could see him, all of him. She admired the vision of the man in front of her for a moment and then held out her hand. He took it and she pulled him close, leaning up and kissing the ghostly pale man. He returned the affection eagerly and moved to kneel over her, pressing her thighs apart and leaning down. He lowered himself so that she could feel the warmth he provided and the firm pillar he was offering her.

Kaede wanted it. Yuri asked if she was alright with what he was doing and she said she was, she wanted to accept all of him.

All of him. Yuri's heart leaped. What did that mean about Lunatic? He was too interested in what they were currently doing to ask, especially at this critical moment. Instead he kissed her as he shifted, pressed his hips forward, and listened to his lover cry out. Almost apologetically he held still within her and ran his fingers over her hairline, murmuring her name and kissing her mouth over and over to distract her. He waited for her to stop whimpering, mildly surprised it had hurt as it did, and listened for her to say it was alright. She did and so he began to pull back, pushing into her warm depths firmly a few times. It was intensely pleasurable. He gasped and braced himself on his arms above her, staring down into her eyes as he moved within her. She reached up and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her against him as he moved a bit faster, her moans encouraging his pace to quicken. He pressed into her fully every time, his hips flush against her inner thighs, his muscular rod tensing and twitching inside the young woman that Kaede had become over the years. He dug his nails into her shoulder and groaned, feeling like he was going to lose all reason soon. But he refused to. There was no way he could do that to the sweet young woman. He pressed quick, fervent kisses to her mouth and apologized as he moved away from her, quickly retiring to the bathroom and returning shortly after. His face was flushed, his hair was sticking up a bit, and his chest rose and fell quickly. Kaede's heart jumped into her throat at the sight and she flushed a dark shade, realizing just why he had excused himself.

Yuri returned to her side, curling his lithe form against her back and resuming his fondling of her, one hand at her breast, the other between her thighs. His mouth was on her neck, kissing and licking slowly, murmuring her name as he used two fingers to stroke and rub inside of her sweet entrance. He was starting to feel like he was losing his mind, but he was enjoying it all the same. He settled his mouth against her neck and bit her, sucking upon the flesh there, and he smiled as he heard her cry out. He squeezed her breast and pressed his fingers as deeply into her as he could, shuddering as he felt her body twitch and her hips buck. He slowly pulled away from the young woman and breathed heavily, staring down at her glassy looking eyes and flushed features. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, dragging him down a bit and kissing him, pressing her bare body to his and cuddling with him like that for the rest of the night as they finally fell back asleep in each other's warm and gentle embrace.

* * *

"I didn't mean to damage it, I made a total Wild Tiger out of myself." Karina blew bubbles in her beverage, pouting as Keith rubbed her back gently. He sympathized with her problems. The two were sitting with the other Heroes and ex-Heroes, all gathered in the quiet bar they frequented due to its privacy.

"Hm? A Wild Tiger?" Kotetsu looked up, wanting to feel proud that they had something named specifically after him, but her attitude made his heart sink.

"It's when we have to go see Judge Petrov because of damages," Nathan said, leaning against Antonio and offering a little pout. Kotetsu sighed. He knew it. Not a good name. He wished that his friends at least had something good associated with his memory!

"Well, I was supposed to go see him, but the secretary said he was on vacation for the week and I'd have to come back." Karina poked at the ice in her drink, adding a couple of frozen bits to the beverage. "I didn't even realize he took vacations."

Kotetsu sat up straight and Barnaby stiffened next to him, a bit of dread filling his stomach. The older man spoke quietly, sounding almost angry. "A... week of vacation? When did it start?"

"Hm? Oh, I dunno, I think a few days ago. He should be back next week." Karina kept poking at her drink, waiting for their food to arrive. She was looking forward to the fries here, they seasoned them really well.

Wild Tiger looked at his partner and said, very slowly, "You don't think Kaede's vacation is really..."

The others leaned in curiously. Kaede was a hot topic for gossip because she was Wild Tiger's daughter and had been infatuated with Barnaby for so long. They had all been there when the memorable Tiger and Bunny got together, and for the aftermath of Kaede's first crush. Judge Petrov was a wealth of gossip because no one knew much about him. Finally Nathan spoke up, because he had an idea of what was going on, able to piece together gossip faster than the average receptionist.

"Oh do tell us, cutie, what about Kaede?" He wanted to know just what those two handsome men were talking about among themselves.

Barnaby cleared his throat and smiled in his most charming way. "It's nothing. Kaede is just taking a week long trip with one of her friends from college before they return to school. I'm sure it is just a coincidence that Judge Petrov is also on vacation this week."

"Oh Handsome... You can't be as dumb as Kotetsu." Nathan waved a hand, a mischievous sparkle in his eye. He loved drama, but he was also no idiot. He had seen how Kaede was reacting around Petrov that night at the retirement party and he saw how the judge had spent much of the evening watching her quietly. And she worked for him all summer? Oh this was just a harlequin romance novel and he knew how it'd end.

Kotetsu suddenly jumped up, clenching his hands into fists.

"That rotten gargoyle better not be hugging Kaede!"

Everyone stared at him. ...That was what he thought would happen? No one had the heart to tell him what people did on week long vacations alone.

* * *

In the morning Kaede woke up feeling tired, she ached a bit, and she had a pain in her neck. She touched her shoulder and found it to be warm, so she inched her fingers up and shuddered at the feeling of a warm raised area of skin on her neck. Going into the bathroom, she examined the reddish purple mark on her skin and flushed a dark shade of crimson. She felt an arm wrap around her stomach and a sleepy voice murmured, "What did you do last night, hmm?"

She was still blushing as she tapped Yuri's hand. "Tsk, as if you don't know who did this."

He kissed her cheek and smiled, narrowing his eyes. "Did you have a run-in with a vampire?"

They grinned at one another and shared a few heated kisses before getting dressed. Kaede felt like she was walking on air and Yuri looked happy. He smiled easily and laughed with his lover. They spent a good amount of time lounging around the house, talking, and exploring each other's bodies. At night they shared a bed and in the mornings they both sluggishly got going on the day. But time was ticking away quickly. With only a week, it felt like it was slipping by as if they only had a day.

It went by too quickly. On the last day they held one another on the couch, talking about what might happen when they got back to Sternbild.

"I've been having such a good time, I don't want it to end," Kaede said sadly, holding onto the judge a bit tighter. He agreed wholeheartedly, but it was impossible for him to just spend his life sitting around the vacation home with this lovely young woman.

"I know, Kaede. Things will probably be a bit different when we go back. Still..." Yuri trailed off and smiled a little. He gave the woman laying against him a small squeeze. "I would like to see you again."

"Of course! I want to see you too, Yuri." Kaede stared up at the judge, who gazed fondly down at her and gave her a small kiss.

All things had to come to an end, and their vacation was no exception. The two finally went their separate ways after a few warm, tender embraces, promising to contact one another once they were back in the city. Yuri headed back to the city going one way, taking the car he rented so his own was not gone, and Kaede went by bus and then train. Kotetsu had spoken to his daughter, saying he and Barnaby would be out getting food by the time she returned.

On the way home, Kaede let out some heavy sighs. That week with Judge Petrov had been amazing. Once they had gotten past the initial night of intimacy, the two were rarely out of arm's length of one another. Even doing the mundane tasks, they paused to kiss and smile at one another frequently. Like that, it was easy for Kaede to forget all about the other side of Yuri. Sadly, she didn't want to think about the next full moon. This week had shown her another side of Yuri Petrov than she ever knew possible. To see him as Lunatic, murdering criminals... Did he really have to? Glumly, she sank down into her seat and thought about it.

When she arrived home, Kaede was surprised to see someone standing at the door to the apartment. It was Yuri! Raising a brow curiously, she perked up and went over to him, smiling and saying nothing. She wasn't even sure what to say. He took her hands and kissed her fingertips as he drew her close to his form, followed by pressing his mouth to her hairline, and finally her lips. "I wish you all the best of luck while you are at school, Kaede. I know you'll do well." He squeezed her hands and smiled at her. The woman wound her arms around his neck and kissed him, partly clinging to the judge and grinning. She felt deliriously happy and just wanted to giggle like a fool. He spun her a couple of times before losing his balance, surprised that she had clung to him so suddenly, and they bumped into the door, his palm slamming against it to brace them as they shared just one more kiss.

Quite out of no where, Yuri found himself lurching forward and curling a bit to hug and twist Kaede so she did not take the impact of the impending fall. The door was opening and Kotetsu stood there with Barnaby, both looking a bit confused, until they saw that Kaede's hands were in Yuri Petrov's hair and his hand was dangerously low on her back, both of their faces flushed as they laid in a heap in the apartment doorway.

"...Gargoyle!" Kotetsu growled and his eyes turned an electric shade of blue. He lunged for Yuri but the man was very light on his feet. He stood up, taking Kaede with him, and let her go as he sidestepped he the ex-Hero's fist. The two did that for a few moments until Barnaby lit up as well and grabbed the previously named Wild Tiger. He stared at Judge Petrov and the man solemnly returned the look. Kaede fretted from where she was standing, looking at her feet and appearing relatively meek in that moment.

When Kotetsu's power ran out he still tried to claw at Yuri's face and hair, but the man was standing out of his reach. Barnaby sort of dragged his partner into the apartment and raised a brow. "I think, Judge Petrov, you should come in. Kaede, you too." He moved aside so both of them could enter the premises.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: I actually have nothing to say about this chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

Yuri Petrov sat in an arm chair. Kaede sat in one as well, however they were not near each other. A couch was between them, and on it sat Kotetsu and Barnaby. Both were looking between the man and woman in the chairs, although neither was saying anything.

Finally, the silence was nearly deafening. Someone had to say something. Kotetsu looked appalled as he asked the question, but it had to be done. "Kaede, what were you doing this week?"

His daughter flushed a dark shade of pink and looked at her knees, feeling anxious. Her father sounded disappointed, and that upset her. "I... I was on vacation."

"And who were you with?" His gaze turned hard and he glared at Judge Petrov, who sat quietly with his hands folded over his knee. The judge stared blankly back at the man, wondering why he was playing along with this farce. One look at the young woman across the room from him was answer enough; she looked terrified and he couldn't leave her alone with those two and their questions.

"I was with Yuri." Kaede looked like she was on the verge of tears. Petrov wanted to comfort her, brush her tears away, but he didn't dare move. He only sighed and ran a hand through his loose strands of hair, trying to concentrate on keeping that impassive look on his face. If he wasn't careful he'd scream at the idiot retired Heroes and let his ungentlemanly side show.

"Judge Petrov, what exactly were you doing with my daughter?" Kotetsu was glowering at the pale haired man.

"I was enjoying her company this week in my vacation home."

"And?"

"And... what? I do not have to discuss my personal affairs with you. Kaede and I are both adults and we are able to make decisions without your explicit approval." Yuri's brow furrowed with more evident irritation.

Barnaby asked the question without thinking. "Kaede, is this the man you meant, when you said someone was acting like I used to around you?"

Kotetsu turned on his lover and nearly pounced, hands raised in an aggressive manner. "What?! Kaede said this stuffy old man was like you?! Never!"

"It is true, I am loathe to be thought of as similar to... what do you call him, Kaburagi? Bunny?" A small sneer showed on Yuri's features. He was letting his emotions get the better of him and guiltily glanced at the young woman across the furniture. Sighing, he rubbed at his jaw and tried to calm down. Kaede looked worried and he was trying to avoid that expression on her face. He was doing a horrible job of being nice to her father and his lover, but he really did not care for the theatrics.

"Well, I mean, yes, Yuri was always a bit like Barnaby when I was younger, but, ah..." She faltered and looked down at her hands. "He's so kind and thoughtful, gentle and generous. And he likes me for me. I think." She scrunched up her face in thought.

Yuri thought about it. Had he ever told Kaede what he thought of her? He was sure that he had at some point, but it probably wasn't anything more than soft murmurs in her ear at night while they were both on the edge of sleep. Oh dear, leave it to him to neglect to compliment his partner's good points... He cleared his throat.

"Mister Kaburagi, Mister Barnaby. I can clear this up easily enough." The two men on the couch looked over at the judge. The blonde looked a little uncomfortable, truthfully. Yuri took a slow breath before speaking again. "I invited Kaede to join me in my vacation home because I was utterly enchanted by her as soon as I saw her interviewing for the position as my assistant. She has been nothing but a warm light in my office and I have treated her with nothing but professional respect since I met her. And when I saw her in that ensemble at your retirement party, I had already developed fond affections for her that only grew while we worked together. But I was always courteous and focused on work for those months. After she finished her internship with the bureau, I did invite her for a vacation with me. And my feelings grew for her more. She is pure and gentle, outgoing and kind. Anyone would be a fool not to be attracted to her." He raised a brow slowly. "Besides, did you and Mister Barnaby not develop feelings for one another after working together?"

Kotetsu huffed and puffed as he tried to think of a good answer to Yuri's words. Barnaby tilted his head curiously. He spoke first, to break the dramatic tension his partner was creating all on his own. "Ah, Judge Petrov, while you are a highly respected upholder of the peace, a fair and honest person, I feel I must ask what your intentions are with Kaede now that your vacation is done. She still has a year of school left, for starters, and I feel I must point out the large age difference in the two of you. I am not making accusations, but... did you intend for this vacation to be a time to use Kaede and then abandon her?"

"Yeah, she's too young for you, you ancient goat!" Kotetsu bristled. He adamantly ignored the possibility of his little girl doing anything inappropriate with the judge on vacation. He just couldn't begin to imagine that she was an adult yet.

"Dad, stop it!" Kaede stood up, flushed in the face, and glared at the two men on the couch. "Yuri has been nothing but a gentleman since I first met him, and he is always honest and patient! He's smart and considerate and he's the first person I've felt this way about! Wasn't it like that for you and mom? Don't I deserve to have someone that looks at me in the way you looked at her?"

Kotetsu deflated at his daughters words, always thrown off when she yelled at him, and using his weak point of Tomoe on top of it. He finally sighed and ran his fingers over his sable hair. "But Kaede, sweet heart... Judge Petrov is just one person... An old, mean, grouchy gargoyle at that who was mean to your daddy for years... Wouldn't you like to finish college before settling down?"

"I don't even know—"

"Actually, that was what I was thinking as well." The three other people in the room looked at Judge Petrov. His gaze was only for Kaede, however, and he smiled just a little at her. "I would like for you to finish your studies and figure out what you would like to do with your life. Know that I will be there to support you no matter what you decide to do. I have no intentions to leave my job and I hold an important role in the city. If, after you finish your schooling, you still wish to involve yourself with me, I will ask your father... fathers? For permission to properly court you."

Kaede felt her face warming. He was saying just the right things, but it hurt her as well. A whole year or more without being near him? Her heart was already aching at the thought of going back to school while he returned to his job.

"You mean openly court her? You know the Bureau is full of gossip and rumors, there is no way they would not know if you openly courted Miss Kaede." Barnaby looked surprised. He had not expected to hear that Judge Petrov would consider the possibility of making his feelings public.

"That is true. However... who cares what they say. I am enamored with Kaede, and if she will have me as her partner when she finishes school, I will happily stay by her side and support her, however I can."

"Jeeze Judge, you sound like you're asking for my daughter's hand in marriage." Kotetsu was grinding his teeth at the thought, nearly growling.

"Not yet." Yuri quirked a smile, unable to resist pissing the man off just a little more. Kotetsu snapped his jaws at him while Barnaby put his hand on the older man's chest, in case he had to take action again.

"Those do sound like reasonable terms, Judge Petrov, but ultimately it is Kaede's decision." Barnaby looked at the young woman who was sitting to his far left. She sighed and nodded, knowing that she had to stop hiding her thoughts and feelings.

"I want to be with you, Yuri, and I'll wait for you. You are right and I should finish school. Who knows, you might even find a cuter intern than me and keep her instead." She smiled tightly, trying to play it off as if she wasn't head over heels for the judge. He returned her smile in a fond way, knowing what she was doing.

"I could say the same about you, finding a better man than me at school." Yuri stood and shook hands with Barnaby, hesitantly regarded Kotetsu before he shook his hand as well, and finally he kissed Kaede's cheek. He quietly left the apartment to see how his mother was doing without him, listening to a voice rattle on in his head.

" _Ooooh, little Yuri is finally in love! Talk about a late bloomer. And she is bonkers for you, which is good for us. Now she will help us. Isn't this nice, you get to have your cake and eat it too!_ "

Once the judge left, Kaede sat there awkwardly with her father and Barnaby. There was a hurt look on his face as Kotetsu stared at his daughter, and, unable to say anything to her at the moment because of how infuriated he was, the man got up and went into his room, shutting the door firmly.

Staring down at her knees, Kaede sighed and tried to hold back the tears. She couldn't bear the thought that her father was so angry at her that he didn't even want to talk to her.

"Barnaby... Does my father hate me?"

The blonde man looked up, surprised. How could she think that? Standing, he went over to the young woman who had become as important to him as a sweet little sister, and ran his fingers over her chestnut hair, guiding her into a standing position. He wrapped his arms around the young woman's shoulders and drew her close into a hug. "Kaede, there's no way that Kotetsu could hate you. He just needs a bit of time to understand what's going on."

"You're sure? I couldn't... I couldn't bear it if Dad hated me because of this."

Sighing, Barnaby kept hugging Kaede as she cried, petting her hair slowly and letting out soft noises to try and calm her down. When the young woman finally stopped, he kissed her forehead gently and told her everything would be alright.

In the morning, Kaede began to get ready for college. She had to make sure she had all her books ready, and one of the essays that was due tomorrow. Honestly, who thought that the best way to start the year off was a ten page essay about the management techniques used at the office they interned at over the summer. The young woman had been working on it all summer, bit by bit. During some of those nights when there wasn't a lot to do to help the judge, she had written a rough draft and typed it up at home.

Kotetsu eventually came out of the room and sat down at the dining table with Barnaby, although neither men said anything for a while. They waited until the young woman of the house came out. She stood in the doorway of her room, staring awkwardly at her father before slowly approaching the table.

"Good morning," she said softly.

"Good morning, Kaede," Barnaby said.

Kotetsu didn't say anything and his partner kicked his shin, glaring at the older man.

"Ow! G... Good morning, Kaede." He was still grumbling a bit, staring at his mug of coffee. "Ready for college?"

"Yes. Did you... want to do something today?" She looked nervous again, a small frown showing. Her father looked up, that defeated look on his face again. His daughter was a grown woman and she had found a man that she had feelings for. He couldn't help that it was Judge Petrov, he just hoped that she would be alright with him.

With a faint smile, Kotetsu tapped at the edge of his mug. "Sounds good. What did you have in mind?"

The trio spent the day together, talking about Kaede's final year of college, plans for the ex-heroes during the coming weeks, concerts, holidays... All the normal things families talked about. It was a very nice day in the end, and most of the young woman's worries melted slowly away.

By the end of the week Kaede was back in college. She was swarmed by friends and acquaintances that wanted to know how her internship with Judge Petrov went and asked if he was really as mean as they said. Not wanting to disappoint anyone or tell them how Yuri really was in private, the young woman said it had been really tough, she learned a lot, and everyone respected the judge.

A few of the women wanted to know more about how he was when there weren't a bunch of people around, since they knew the job was to be by his side from day in till day out. With mild annoyance and an even defensive attitude, Kaede said that he was no different in private than he was in public. It was a lie, of course, but how could she say that Judge Petrov loved sweet things, he liked to tease her father, or that he was a fantastic lover in bed?

Just the thought of anyone finding out she had become more than his assistant made the woman's stomach flutter with butterflies and a touch of pink often stained her cheeks. Those first couple of weeks without Yuri were difficult. She had to resist calling or texting him, which she did, just barely.

Over the next few months, Kaede didn't go out of her way to see Yuri and he did his best to keep from talking to her too much. She sent letters once a month outlining how classes were going, what she was doing, and if she had any thoughts about her future.

After mentioning that she wanted to be a secretary, the woman started to seriously look into it as a career. Slowly, carefully, and subtly, Kaburagi started to change. She wore her hair back in a ponytail or bun to keep it out of her face, dressed mostly in skirts, comfortable loafers, and blouses that were still pretty, but in a subdued way. There was nothing that would get her to take her necklace off and it was the only piece of jewelry she wore. She knew who she wanted to work for and had to work hard to keep her grades up, get recommendations, and make sure that no one could say she was a lazy party girl.

The year crawled by for Yuri. At first he was mildly lonely, for her laughter wasn't in his office and he didn't get to take breaks for sweets with someone who enjoyed the desserts just as much as he did. However, as the months went by, it slowly became easier to ignore the visions of her that swam through his mind during the mundane meetings and the pathetic drivel that stepped into his court room on a daily basis. Several times he wanted to send her a small gift, a watch he thought would suit her or a leather bound journal, but his desire to stay out of her life until she had at least graduated college kept him at bay. Lunatic did his job at night and on the full moons, and when he saw the blue-green fire materialize along his fingers all he could think about were the nights Kaede's power activated and the flames played in her hair and around her neck. He had ravaged her those nights, unable to help himself from the amount of desire he felt when he saw her wearing his flames like that. He missed her terribly, but no one guessed it because outwardly he was the same judge they all knew. Several of the workers honestly thought he had become more surly after that intern left, and half speculated he was lonely, while the other group thought the woman turned out to be incompetent and he put up with it so he didn't have to do interviews again.

Kaede did well in school. Her grades were near the top of her class, she hung out with her friends, visited her grandmother and uncle, and spent a lot of time with her father and Barnaby. She visited with Karina, Pao-Lin, and Nathan too, but she had become quiet overall, more thoughtful. The woman was sliding away from the idea of heroes slowly and focusing more on her future and potential career.

Finally the school year ended for Kaede. She crossed the stage and received her diploma, her family and friends were in the audience watching, but the one pair of eyes she longed to see were not present. It made her heart ache a little. Some tiny part of her had hoped that Judge Petrov would be there to congratulate her right before he swept her off her feet. Although the college graduate knew that he was not the sort of man to do that, there was still a faint glimmer of hope that he might've at least shown up.

She dressed up for the party her father had put together for her, slipping on her heeled shoes and adjusting her hair so it fell gracefully down her back with a slight curl at the ends, and then began to toy with the necklace around her neck. Kaede went to the meeting place with Barnaby and Kotetsu and ran into the rest of the Heroes and ex-Heroes, her close friends, since they had all met outside to talk anyway. When they went up to the private booth they had requested, her eyes lit up when she saw a familiar face sitting there already, drinking a cup of tea.

"Yuri!"

"Judge!" Kotetsu drew his arm back, however Barnaby grabbed the limb and held onto him.

"Easy Kotetsu, I invited him."

"You?! Why?!"

"He has done as he promised. He did not pursue Kaede while she was in school so that she could concentrate on her studies, she has graduated as you wished, and she is free to do as she likes." Barnaby slowly let the Tiger have his arm back as he felt the man guiltily relaxing. The duo had many talks that year about relationships, adults, growing up, and what it might mean for the protective father if he tried to keep his little girl a child forever in his eyes. He sighed and just grumbled a little bit.

Kaede couldn't believe that Yuri was there at her graduation party. It was a small dinner, but he was there in a nicely tailored charcoal suit, his ash blonde hair pulled back partly and allowed to hang down over the side of his face that sported a light scar for those who knew to look for it. He still had that electric blue and neon green tie on, and it made the woman giggle softly. It was such a tiny thing, but she knew what that tie represented in the man before her.

Yuri looked up at Kaede and there was a gentle smile on his lips. Slowly she took a few steps towards him, moving to sit next to him as he gestured to the open spot. The man laid his hand over hers and leaned over, whispering in her ear. Whatever he said had the woman blushing.

"Oh, is that what love looks like?" Pao-Lin came up the stairs, a bit late to the party. There was already a bowl of pretzels in her hand, a few of them between her fingers for eating.

"It's not love!" Kotetsu almost bit her head off.

"I'd say that's love." Karina smiled at the man she used to have feelings for, leaning against Keith and sighing wistfully. After a moment she screwed up her nose and laughed lightly. "Even if it is with Judge Petrov."

"Right? Karina, you get it, right? He's too old for her." He kind of paused, thinking about what he had just said as he looked at Keith. "Er."

"Yeah, because Keith is my age and Barnaby is your age. Got it." Karina raised a brow and stuck out her tongue. "Just be happy for them, stupid Tiger. Isn't that what a parent is supposed to want for their child?"

"Well... yes, of course, but why him?"

"Who cares sugar, but if you're gonna keep gawping at them, at least sit down and order something! I'm starving!" Nathan sat down next to Kaede, leaning over and winking in a very knowing way at Judge Petrov. The man recoiled slightly and blanched, his expression tense and almost dangerous. Apparently he did not appreciate the flirting from someone who was not Kaede.

Everyone sat down around the large table and offered the college student their congratulations.

"So what are you going to do for work then?" Karina had an idea of what the chestnut haired woman wanted to do, since they texted frequently

"Well, I was thinking I'd like to apply to be a secretary. There are a lot of companies that offer great sign on bonuses and retirement packages. Plus medical and dental. And since I've worked at the Justice Bureau-"

"She will be returning as my personal secretary," Yuri said firmly, gently squeezing her fingers.

"R-really? I didn't think you'd want me working for you again."

"Why not?" Keith looked a bit puzzled as he asked the question. "Obviously Judge Petrov thought you were a good intern if he came to your graduation party." Somehow, the fact that Kaede and the man had feelings for one another seemed to go right over his handsome blonde head.

"Keith you cannot tell me you don't realize why Judge Petrov is here," Karina muttered.

"Oh, is he here to talk to Kotetsu about damage fees he still owes?" That made the most sense to the smiling man.

"Hey, I paid off my debts," Kotetsu whined, sulking a little.

Kaede glanced at the judge and tilted her head. He returned the look and smiled just a little, thin and slightly tense. She couldn't blame him, he was putting up with her father and all the Heroes, current and retired, that he had to deal with for Hero TV.

"Are you sure you want me working for you again?"

"What can I say, you know me the best. If another intern messes up my dessert I might light them on fire." There was such a soft, teasing tone to his voice that everyone around the table tried to move closer to hear. The mischief in his eyes made Kaede giggle. It was wonderful to see Yuri again.

"I didn't know you joked," Nathan said, sipping at his pink lady.

Yuri cleared his throat and leaned away from the woman he had come to see, saying softly that she should be talking to her guests, not just him. Everyone talked about what they were doing of late, plans for the future. Karina admitted she wanted to have a child and some of the attention was shifted over to her and Keith, who had become a stuttering, bumbling mess. While everyone was talking, Yuri slid his hand down next to Kaede's, lacing their fingers together in a casual way. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled just a bit. She was stunning and beautiful, her acceptance of him was a miracle.

The group was discussing a general party for the middle of the summer, somewhere everyone could dance and have a carefree time with one another. During the idle chatter of where it would be held, Yuri's phone let out a series of quick beeps. He looked at the device with mild annoyance at first, but his eyes widened. He apologized and said that he had to go. He squeezed Kaede's knee, kissed her cheek, and then nearly bolted from the restaurant.

"What was that about?" Karina looked a bit worried.

"I dunno..." Kaede stared wistfully after where the judge had just been. It must've been something important, and all she could think of was something had happened to his mother. She hoped it wasn't that, but there was not a lot else she thought it could be.

By the time Yuri got home it was too late. The alarms on his phone had let him know that his mother had been on the floor for more than five minutes without moving. When he checked the feed for the cameras, all he saw was smoke. Whatever she had done, somehow the old woman had set fire to the house and wound up on the floor. He tried to hurry, speeding through Sternbild in his car, but traffic kept re-routing him and causing him to take detours. Agitation made him a bit more aggressive, and the soft voice in his head was _not_ helping.

" _So what if she dies? It'll be one more burden off your back and we can focus on ridding this city of evil. Watch for pedestrians, or else you'll be the one behind bars._ "

It took Yuri twenty minutes to get back to the house. He had to park a few blocks away because of all the cars and trucks, police and fire respectively, which were around the house. There were two ambulances, one for each resident; the neighbors had no idea Judge Petrov was out for the night when they called in the smoke and flames.

The judge went over to the ambulance that had a person on the stretcher. He was paler than normal and looked mildly frustrated. He glanced at what was supposed to be his mother; a sheet was over her whole body and he stiffened up.

"Is she…"

"I'm so sorry, Judge Petrov. She inhaled too much smoke."

Yuri felt his shoulders sag. Glancing at the burning house, he sighed. It was going up like a tinderbox because the summer had been so dry. The fire department was mostly making sure that the flames stayed contained and didn't spread out to any of the houses around the judge's.

One of the police officers asked Yuri to step over to the side for a conversation. Frowning, he went willingly, unsure as to what the lowly officer could even want from him at the moment.

"I'm terribly sorry about your mother, Judge, but you should know that your neighbors didn't call about the fire. They had originally called about someone smashing your front window in and trying to get inside."

Maintaining a neutral expression, the only thing Petrov could say was, "Oh. I see."

"I know you have a lot of enemies and whatnot, people whose cases you ruled on. Is it possible one of them wanted to try and… y'know, get revenge on you?"

Thinking about it, Yuri wanted to roll his eyes. He was a judge that ruled on cases. Aside from unique cases that specifically pinned the blame on him, he doubted anyone cared. Rubbing at his temple, he muttered, "I can't think of anyone. I'm sorry, I've just ruled on so many cases, you know. So many murderers." His pale green eyes focused on the police officer. A woman in her mid-thirties, who looked a bit tired and worn out. Still in shape, but with crow's feet forming around her eyes, her expression saying she was more interested in coffee than talking to Judge Petrov.

"I hear ya. Alright, I'll note it down and keep an eye around the area for you. I'm sorry for your loss, Judge."

With a sinking feeling, Yuri stood by the sidewalk and watched as his childhood home burned to the ground. It was almost satisfying, but not quite.

" _You wanted to burn it with a different fire,_ " that voice teased in his head. Raising his brows, Petrov realized Lunatic was right. He did want to see that house completely engulfed in the blue-green flames of justice. That would be an interesting case to explain, since Lunatic only went after murderers and criminals who destroyed innocent lives.

It was well into the early morning hours before the house was nothing but smoldering ruins, caved in on itself and still smoking. The firemen switched trucks out so they could keep pouring water on the cinders. Petrov called into his job to inform them he wouldn't be coming in due to a family emergency and stood there on the curb, waiting until everyone else left. Once the fire department was gone, all the neighbors had come out to offer their condolences, sympathies, and spare rooms if he needed them, he smiled.

A weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and for the first time, Yuri felt like his father's ghost wouldn't haunt him tonight.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: I wanted to completely redo the final chapter from the original story, and it looks like it's being stretched out some! I really wanted to add more details and conversations, honestly, so this is going well. I think. I hope!


	14. Chapter 14

Yuri didn't pick up his phone. He did not answer any texts, nor did he even send a letter back when Kaede sent one. He was gone for weeks. Kaede was going insane with worry the whole time, because the news had briefly covered what happened. His house had burned down and his mother had died in the fire. It was shocking to anyone who saw it, but it hurt her especially because she couldn't be there for the judge if he wouldn't accept any contact from her.

Kaede didn't dare go to see Yuri because he never said it would be alright for her to visit him without any warning. He also hadn't told her where he lived, and she doubted he was still at the house in the city since it had burned to the ground, according to the news. Maybe he was at the vacation house, but she just didn't know and couldn't get in contact with the judge. So she fretted and she watched for a full moon. Yuri had said Lunatic was compelled to work because of Thanatos on those nights, and she watched, waiting for him to appear so she could go do something as stupid as her father had done in the past.

Over the last year while she had been at school, Hero TV had made it their primary goal to try and catch Lunatic. Whenever he was around, Agnes always made sure to cut the feed before any murders were shown on the show. Whoever caught the vigilante would be given a special award and point bonus for the delivery of the criminal. While Kaede didn't watch the show much anymore, on those nights she couldn't help herself. She prayed that he'd get away, that no one could catch Lunatic, and every time he escaped. Neither Kaede or Yuri knew that Agnes was aware he was Lunatic, and yet there were times he suspected it. The aggressive woman had some really interesting things to say to him at parties and when she had to visit the Justice Bureau for meetings.

Hero TV Live was broadcasting that night, once more on the hunt for Lunatic. It had been a while since the Heroes had started their patrol, but one of them finally caught sight of him. He was standing on top of a building, his blue-green flames lighting up the roof as they curled and twined about his fingers, and he seemed almost entertained by the notion of being captured. As much of a game as it was for Lunatic, it wasn't for the Heroes determined to put him behind bars.

" _I think it is time that we take out a great evil that has been spreading through Sternbild,_ " Lunatic said, staring up at the camera that was pointed at him. He never minded being filmed, especially because Agnes could do nothing except watch from the van she was safely in, observing the feed as it came through the cameras.

"Dragon Kid, Origami Cyclone, where are you two!? Fire Emblem, are you even close? Blue Rose, please tell me you're at least around…" Fire Emblem had been the one to spot Lunatic's fire on his patrol, but he was still a little bit away from the building the man was hanging out on.

"On my way, sugar. Just let him talk, villains _love_ to monologue." The fire themed Hero was speeding down the street, following the GPS lock that Agnes had sent to all of them.

"I'm almost there Agnes!" Blue Rose felt herself shiver. Lunatic was a madman, there was something deeply chilling on the nights of the full moon. She hated to think of getting up close and personal with the murderer.

It looked like Lunatic was just standing there on top of the building, but he was waiting for someone. A Professor at the college had done some very disturbing things, and with so much proof that he could have the cops there to arrest him and the man would never see the light of day again, he had tonight's target. All the vigilante had to do was wait for him to show his face so he could begin the hunt.

"If he doesn't come out in five minutes we should go fetch," Yuri muttered in a very faint voice within the mask.

" _If no one interrupts us,_ " Lunatic responded dryly. He knew the Heroes would be there soon enough to try and stop them.

Heroes, being Heroes, tended to arrive at the best and worst time. As Fire Emblem and Dragon Kid arrived on the scene, the target Lunatic was after exited the building from the roof access door. Perfect. Like it was planned or something. Rolling his eyes, Lunatic took out his crossbow.

"Oh no you don't, crazy!" Fire Emblem rushed to the fire escape, pulling himself up in the blink of an eye over the lip that most buildings seemed to have in the area. He glared at Lunatic as the man turned to his victim, preparing a bolt of blue-green fire.

While all of this was going on, Kaede was scrambling around the apartment. She _knew_ her father still had his face masks around and she needed one. Now. After tearing through some magazines she found one, rolling her eyes. It had fallen into a box of books that her father swore he'd read one day. They were just as new as the day Barnaby gave them to him!

Still, she had the eye mask. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, the woman ran out of the apartment, determined to catch Lunatic before anyone else could. She had turned the television off before it was shown that Fire Emblem was on the roof with him. Since she had touched her father's arm recently, bidding him a good night while he and Barnaby went out for dinner, the young woman had the Hundred Power ability. She knew what those two were really doing on their 'date night' anyway. They went to the Hero's Lounge to watch this season's headline case; The Lunatic Capture.

Activating her ability, Kaede leaped onto the nearest building and dashed towards the seedier district of Sternbild. While on her way there, her heart pounded. Facing Yuri was one thing, but having to interact with Lunatic horrified her. The man had said to her face that he would've let her die if it meant a little bit of evil that had infested the city could be taken out at the same time. He was not someone she had any desire to be near.

With her NEXT ability activated, Kaede glowed like an electric blue firefly, leaping from building to building, getting herself ever closer to the danger and feeling her nerves almost tingle with worry for Yuri.

The first vehicle she spotted was Blue Rose's tour van speeding down the side streets, trying to get around parked cars and narrow turns. Figuring the singer might still be a few minutes, she kept going, next spotting the golden monstrosity that was Origami Cyclone's temple van. They had been stopped by a local street parade that was going on and weren't moving.

Knowing that the Heroes wouldn't just sit around and wait, she put the power into her legs and feet, moving faster to get to the vigilante. She could see him, just a speck of blue-green on the dark sky, and tried to move faster.

Dragon Kid had snuck up behind Lunatic's victim and grabbed him, holding the man in a choke hold with her staff and letting crackles of lightning dance over her fingers, near his throat, but not touching him.

Agnes saw that something was up with the location. There was someone she didn't have a direct line to there, wearing an eye mask and getting ready to leap onto the roof with Lunatic and the Heroes. The announcer for the show listened to what his boss said in his ear piece and rolled his eyes, but activated the microphone for the broadcast.

"And what's this?! It seems like a masked civilian has entered the scene! She gets no points as she isn't a part of Hero TV, but what a twist! Does this newcomer think that she can capture Lunatic, when our mighty Heroes have yet to do so?"

Fire Emblem and Dragon Kid looked sharply over, and their diverted attention caused Lunatic's gaze to falter from his victim for a moment. It would take a fool to not realize the 'civilian' was Kaede, honestly. He quickly looked back at the man Dragon Kid was holding onto, raising his crossbow slowly.

Dragon Kid tensed up, fear showing on her face. She was aware that Lunatic was capable of killing people who were in the way. She started to crackle with lightning, as if that might threaten the masked vigilante.

"Don't you dare, I'll knock you right out!"

" _I doubt that. Let that sinner go and you won't get hurt, little girl._ "

Kaede deactivated her ability and took several steps back, getting a running start before she threw herself from the roof she had been on, landing and panting from the effort she had expended to get there.

" _Not you again,_ " Lunatic said, seeing the woman standing up.

After rolling his eyes at the ridiculous lines Agnes made him read, the announcer for Hero TV added some commentary to the show. "What's this, does Lunatic _know_ this girl?! Look out, this crazy fan might want more than an autograph!"

Fire Emblem came up next to Kaede and grabbed her arm, saying as he did, "Sorry sweetie, but you can't be here! Come on, get out before you get hurt."

With Fire Emblem's powers now, the woman had to keep herself from activating her NEXT ability and revealing to her friends who she was. The fact they didn't know was almost laughable, but she understood they were focused on trying to catch Lunatic.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said, glaring at the vigilante and trying to shake off Fire Emblem. "Let me go, you all have no chance of catching him."

Lunatic observed the young woman that was in love with his host. He could feel that Yuri wanted to help her and he fought to take control back from the voice that occupied his mind. Petrov's counterpart shoved him into the back of his mind and hissed, " _If she gets in my way, I will kill her. No more chances, Yuri, she is becoming a distraction to you and hindering my job._ "

To Lunatic, Kaede had become a problem to his cause. His host was now taking precautions to keep her alive as well and it was interfering in his work. Moving slowly, he walked to the green haired woman with the lightning abilities, who was still holding onto the man that was the vigilante's intended victim.

Whether it was from fear or just general panic, the man let out a bellowing scream before he started to babble. "I didn't do anything, I don't know what you think I did, but I didn't do it! I teach at the college, I am a good person!"

That voice sounded kind of familiar. Kaede finally dragged her attention from Lunatic for a moment to look at the victim. Whoever the person was hadn't actually mattered to her until that point. All she wanted to do was find Yuri and make sure he was okay. However, there was a problem; she recognized the intended victim.

"Professor Baron?!"

Dragon Kid looked warily at the person she was holding again, and then at the masked civilian. This was getting really weird and her grip began to slip. Where were Origami Cyclone and Blue Rose?

Kaede glared at the man holding a crossbow up at the professor. "What do you think you're doing, Lunatic! That's a professor at the college, he didn't do anything wrong!"

Lunatic sighed. He really, really hated Kaede in that moment.

" _Foolish girl. Of course he did something. Would you like to know what exactly it is, or would you rather play Hero with your friends?_ "

Kaede was almost balking at the idea that Professor Baron, the man who taught business practices and management classes at the college, the gentle and kind of shy, quiet male with a rumpled suit and a photo of his daughters in his wallet, could've done anything heinous enough to attract Lunatic's attention.

" _Professor Charles T. Baron. You are wanted for the crimes of running a drug and sex trafficking group through the funds you have obtained from back door bribes._ "

That was just unbelievable. The back door policy was something bad enough to land a person in jail for a long time; it was when rich parents paid off the college to just put their kid through school and pass them so they had the credits they wanted for the brat to get a good job with no effort. But drugs and sex trafficking on top of it?

Kaede stared at the man. Short, balding, looking a bit sweaty on top of it all, she couldn't believe that he was capable of any of that. She wouldn't.

Pursing her lips, the woman glared at Lunatic. "You're wrong. Professor Baron wouldn't do any of that! You're wrong!"

Dragon Kid and Fire Emblem were just staring at the two as they argued. They were waiting because Agnes told them to. Let Lunatic ramble with the civilian, it was giving them more film with Lunatic and it was obviously a distraction. They were under strict instructions to not interfere unless he went for the kill.

Kaburagi could almost hear the sneer in Lunatic's voice as he answered her. " _Oh, and you're so sure of that? He has been responsible for the confirmed deaths for no less than twenty innocent children over the past ten years. Who knows how many he is not being held accountable for at this moment._ "

Kaede didn't want to believe Lunatic. She looked at the sweating face of her professor, frowning. "Professor Baron, did you really…?"

The man groaned a bit and hung his head. There was nothing he could say that would make her think of him as innocent, and he grumbled, "Yeah, of course I did it... Do you know how much parents paid to have their brats passed? And who cares if some homeless brats disappeared, made this dump more tolerable."

Kaede stood there in a pair of black lounge pants, a long sweater covering her form, and sneakers on her feet. Tears had already begun to well in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment. Lunatic was going to kill someone she knew, a man whose classes she had taken over the years. This wasn't a simple kidnapper and murderer, this man... He was _terrible._

There was a flicker of emotion in Lunatic. Yuri was trying to butt in and take over, again! The vigilante stumbled, trying to gain control again. The judge had never fought him so hard before, and the voice growled in a murderous way, " _Enough! This ends now!_ "

Lunatic was _pissed_. Yuri was making it too difficult to do his job, trying to come out when justice had to be enacted. Without a word he switched places with his host and pointed his crossbow at Dragon Kid and his victim. Kaede's precious morals be damned. She would be dealt with soon. Dragon Kid tried to move out of the way with the criminal, but it was too late. The bolt was loosed and embedded in Baron's forehead before he could be thrown to the ground. The Live feed had to be cut before a murder was shown, and the lightning Hero threw the man from her before he burst into flames and caught her up in it as well.

"Get Lunatic at any cost! _Now!_ " Agnes screamed over the microphone.

The vigilante was already looking for his escape route. There was no point in him being around and becoming the highlight of the season for the show. As he started to move, his hands lighting up with that infamous fire, _Professor Baron stood up in front of him._

" _Hello, Origami Cyclone,"_ Lunatic said, mildly annoyed. There was no bolt in this man's forehead, and the guise was quickly discarded to reveal the ninja, who hurled two throwing stars at the vigilante.

" _You are all so predictable,_ " he said as he turned and let the blades sail harmlessly past him.

A soft cry made Lunatic turn his head, as much as he didn't want to. Kaede had one of the ninja stars in her stomach, her wide eyed gaze focused on Lunatic, shock on her face.

" _No._ _ **Do not do it. Don't-!**_ " Lunatic moved like a man possessed and grabbed the injured woman by the throat. Nearly panting from the effort to keep control, he rasped out, " _You will not interfere again, child._ "

Whimpering softly, Kaede felt the tears falling down her face. Fire Emblem and Dragon Kid moved first to get the two apart, but the deranged man stumbled for a moment, squeezing her throat and silencing the woman. She clawed at his wrist, digging her nails under his glove and trying to do anything to have him let her go.

As the other Heroes closed in, Lunatic shoved his hand against the throwing star, shoving it deeper into her abdomen. She choked out something and he laughed, hurling the slender woman off the top of the five story building.

Agnes wished she had Lunatic's mask off so she could see Judge Petrov's look of absolute horror as his assistant was brought back up to the roof moments later, supported by Blue Rose.

" _Why won't you just die!?_ " He was snarling now, well aware that this terrible night has gone on for too long.

Kaede was infuriated. Lunatic had gone out of his way to try and kill her this time, going so far as to shove a throwing star in her stomach. She was bleeding, her face was tear streaked, and that face mask was barely holding onto her skin. Panting, wincing every time she drew a breath in, her anger was getting the better of her.

"You... I can't do this anymore!" Shaking off Blue Rose, the desperate woman threw herself at Lunatic, who had his arms open and caught the angry woman as she tackled him. The Heroes tried to grab them, but they flew over the side of the building into the dark alley below.

Fire Emblem, Blue Rose, Dragon Kid, and Origami Cyclone all nearly dove over after them, but by the time they got there, all traces of any bodies were gone.

"...What... the _fuck_ just happened?! Where is Lunatic?! _Where is that girl!_ " Agnes was shrieking into her microphone, which had the other three heroes wincing and moving out on the double.

Kaede and Yuri fled the scene, taking every turn they could until they found an abandoned building. He didn't take his mask off yet, but his gloved fingers roamed her face, brushing her tears away.

"I can't... Why... He tried to kill me, Yuri!" She was sobbing, the pain in her stomach causing her to let out anguished noises, her mind unable to comprehend that Lunatic had done something so heinous to her.

"Shhhh, shhh, I know. But he's gone for now. Asleep." Yuri pulled her up, waited a moment, and then scooped her into his arms. "Come on, we have to get you to a hospital."

How was he going to explain what had happened to Kaede to a doctor? He was already coming up with a story, but he had to get changed before he could do anything. Looking frustrated, he took off most of his outfit, leaving him in the black clothes he wore beneath and his shoes. The Justice Bureau had several entrances without cameras, specifically for people like Yuri to make use of in emergencies. He considered this one and ran up the steps as fast as possible to his office so he could get a suit on.

Once in his office, the fast thinking man kissed Kaede's forehead, took her eye mask off, and went into the drawer that kept extra clothes for him. Taking out a cotton pair of lounge pants and a t-shirt he never wore, he murmured an apology and yanked the throwing star out of her stomach. The woman screamed in response and he covered her mouth, softly begging for forgiveness. Once she had quieted down and fallen into shock, he ripped the shirt with the weapon, changed her as fast as he could, and brought her back down the stairs. He had to act fast and called a cab, demanding they get to the nearest hospital.

* * *

Kaede woke up in a hospital bed, aching in her gut and feeling like she had been hit over the head with a sledgehammer. Her father and Barnaby were by her side, and when she opened her eyes Kotetsu lit up, hastily wiping the tears that had been trying to fall.

"Kaede! Sweetie, you're alive!"

"What... ...what happened? Where's Yuri?"

Kotetsu shifted a bit, looking uncomfortable. "He's at work. He asked me to give you this." He handed her a letter with a wax seal and sat down.

Curious, she opened it quickly and scanned it. Slowing down, she read it line for line, a furrow forming in her brow.

"Dear Kaede,

I brought you to the hospital after the events from that night. I found you in an alley near the park, stabbed. Please get better soon. I'll come visit you when I am able to.

Yours,

Yuri"

"I... I don't understand," Kaede said, putting the letter away before her father or Barnaby could read anything on it. "What happened..." She was certain that she and Lunatic had argued to the point that he tried to kill her. But something was off. Yuri had been trying to get in his way and it enraged the vigilante until he decided Kaede had to be stopped as well. She tackled Lunatic off the building... but after that, everything was fuzzy.

"It might take a while to remember, but please try to rest. Your wound is healing nicely, and the doctor says that if you do you pass the physical, you can go home tomorrow." Kotetsu squeezed his daughter's hand, smiling warmly. "Judge Petrov stopped by yesterday with that. He seemed really worried about you, so... Don't worry, everything will be alright." The fear of losing his daughter was bigger than who she was attracted to. With a small sigh, her father said they had to go, the nurses wouldn't let them stay beyond visiting hours since she wasn't in critical condition now.

"We'll be back tomorrow, okay? And then we can go home."

With a small wave and a timid smile, Kaede watched her father and Barnaby go. She frowned, biting her lower lip. She knew what happened that night. Origami Cyclone's throwing star landed in her gut and Lunatic shoved it in deeper. With a small tremor of fear coursing through her spine, the woman waited. Something told her that tonight, Lunatic would come back to try and finish what he started.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: ...I'm not the greatest at action or anything, and honestly I may revisit this chapter again in the future. But we're nearing the end and I'm so excited for it!


	15. Chapter 15

It was not a full moon. Kaede stared out the window, unable to sleep. She was going over the crazy events from that night in her head. Why hadn't the Heroes done anything about Lunatic? They just sat there and let everything unfold until he murdered her college professor and tried to get rid of her as well. Scowling, she sat up for a while that night until the answer came to her.

 _Agnes._

That woman was insane about her damn ratings. Clenching the sheets on her bed, Kaede could already feel the anger bubbling up inside of her enough to activate her NEXT ability. If it pleased Agnes, why not just let people die?! Sure, Kaburagi had run into the middle of a scene, but she just had to see Yuri again. Honestly, what had possessed her to think she could take on Lunatic while the other Heroes watched? Sighing, she closed her eyes, intending to sleep.

It was impossible to rest. Kaede was certain that Lunatic would come to finish the job.

Right around two in the morning, just before the nurse's shift change, someone came into Kaede's room. She looked around and at first didn't see anything out of the ordinary or anyone, but she was certain she had heard soft foot steps at her door. However, she soon realized what the problem was. There was a corner of her room that was darker than the other corners, and two glowing blue eyes were staring at her.

" _Lunatic!_ " She cried out, but the man moved and clamped a hand over her mouth. Wearing that creepy mask, it was impossible to tell what his expression was. His fingers pushed against the sides of her jaw as he loomed over her.

" _And now, little lover of Yuri, it is time for you to leave his life. You have become a liability and almost got me caught. I cannot have Yuri trying to switch places in the middle of a full moon again._ "

Bright blue-green fire began to form, but it wasn't from Lunatic's fingers. Too late, he realized that Kaede had activated her NEXT ability and was using the fire that he killed others with to her advantage. The bed caught on fire and within moments her heart rate monitor's alarm was going off. Lunatic began to back off, but the woman grabbed his arm and threw herself out of the burning bed, towards the window, taking him with her, using a feat of strength that he hadn't expected. When the murderer tried to shake her off of him, her nails dug at the wrist of his outfit and made sure he joined her. They were up on the fourth floor and once the window had shattered under their combined weight, the two went over the edge. Tumbling and twisting, turning and struggling, they fell to the ground forty feet below.

On the way down, Lunatic threw a couple of fire balls at Kaede. She answered with a scream and slammed her hand flat on his chest, unleashing all her hate for Lunatic right then and there. Fire exploded against his suit's material and burned a hole into it, searing his chest and burning his neck some. Yuri broke her fall and hit his head. It would only be moments before guards came, so Kaede ripped his mask off and set fire to the inside of it, letting it burn that way. By the time the guards arrived she was sobbing over Yuri's burnt body, blood oozing from a wound to the back of his head and staining his pale blonde hair.

Yuri Petrov was in the hospital in a coma. According to Kaede, Lunatic came into her room by mistake, thinking it was a criminal's, and she happened to be awake, visiting with the judge who snuck in for a small visit during the nursing staff's shift change. When he tried to stop the vigilante, he attacked Yuri, so she returned the favor since she could use her NEXT ability. Both of them were thrown out the window and Petrov broke her fall, hitting his head on the way down.

Kotetsu and Barnaby were called right away, and they demanded the hospital take care of this for them because not only was Kaede injured, but so was Judge Petrov now.

Kaede recovered fully first and she spent every waking minute next to Yuri, praying that he'd wake up, and feverishly hoping that Lunatic would stay away for once.

* * *

Yuri was dreaming. He was a teenager again, listening to his father talk about what it meant to be a hero, how one couldn't turn a blind eye to evil. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Kaede as a teenager, running by with a frozen yogurt. He turned away from the man that had done his best to raise him and juggle being a Hero, yet a voice snapped his attention right back.

" _Remember Yuri, you must never turn a blind eye to evil. Rid Sternbild of all its evil._ "

Lunatic's voice was coming from his father. Staring with wide-eyes, Yuri felt himself panicking. That voice in his head, there was no way it was Mister Legend. There was no possible way that it-

" _Of course I'm not your father,_ " another voice said.

Turning again, Petrov found himself sitting in his getaway home, whose name had shifted to 'vacation home' when Kaede had been there. He was on the couch reading one of his books, and sitting in the armchair across from him was Lunatic, wearing his getup and tossing the blue-green fire around like a baseball.

"Lunatic?" Yuri frowned, moving to stand, but the costumed man just looked at him and he did not move.

" _We need to talk, while we have this break._ "

"Break? What are you talking about, there's work to do."

" _Quite right. There is. Justice must be enacted. But we need to talk about your little lover._ "

Anger boiled just under Yuri's skin. He tensed up, preparing to actually fight Lunatic. Why he was outside of his head was beyond him, but it didn't matter. "If you ever try to hurt her again, I swear I'll kill you."

" _I'd like to see you try. But, knowing you, you will accomplish this feat, and Sternbild will be overrun with sinners. No, I believe that if you have that... liability... by your side, you will stop trying to fight me when I am working._ "

Yuri frowned. Kaede was a distraction to him, it was true. He had thought about her constantly while working, although it didn't hinder his job at the Bureau. That night though, when she had been on the roof with the Heroes and Lunatic, he knew he had to try and talk to her, even for a moment. No doubt Agnes had told the Heroes to sit on their hands and just let Lunatic ramble. Maybe she even thought one of them would unmask him. A knot of fear tightened in Yuri's stomach. If they had removed his mask... He didn't want to think what it would mean for him.

Lunatic had always been a slightly irritating presence in his life, but the two worked together because they had strikingly similar views on justice. However, the judge was aware that should he ever prove to be a problem himself, or get in the way of Lunatic completing his job... that fire he controlled was going to be used to end Yuri's life. It wasn't even a mild worry, it was a confirmed reality.

"You aren't allowed to hurt Kaede in any way."

" _...Fine._ "

"At all."

" _I said fine. I will not try to harm your precious little_ _ **prize**_ _._ "

Yuri hated hearing Lunatic refer to Kaede as a prize. He really did. Picking up his book, he thumbed through the pages. "So, I guess we just wait to wake up?"

" _Yes, your precious woman is like a wild animal. She dropped us four stories out of the hospital window and cracked your skull on the pavement. So we wait and hope that you wake up._ "

Pursing his lips, Yuri hoped that he might remember this time he had spent with Lunatic, because if he woke up and forgot, it might be difficult to rein in the voice of justice.

* * *

It was two days before Judge Petrov woke up. Kaede spent all her time there, almost threatening the nurses that tried to get her to leave with legal action for allowing Lunatic to enter their premises during a shift change. Subdued by the fiery woman's threats, they allowed her to stay when someone whispered that she was Judge Petrov's assistant. That person had been Barnaby, wishing to do something kind for the young woman who was in obvious distress over not being able to see Yuri, and the first time she was able to meet him, Lunatic got in the way.

What a weird coincidence. The man intended to ponder the odd coincidences that surrounded the last few nights, however he had to calm down Kotetsu first, who was completely distraught over his daughter's choice to stay with the Judge instead of him. Perhaps another time he'd remember to think about the woman who had gone to confront Lunatic and wound up stabbed in the stomach, and how the vigilante ended up in Kaede's hospital room. For the next couple of nights at least, he'd have to help his own partner though more worries relating to his only daughter.

When Yuri woke up, he saw that Kaede had fallen asleep in the chair next to him and was holding onto his hand. A small and tired smile tugged at his lips as he shifted, wincing. His head still hurt, and in a low, scratching voice, he whispered, "Lunatic?"

" _I'm awake._ "

"You will not touch her."

Yuri could almost hear the eye rolling that Lunatic was trying to do. " _I remember._ "

Carefully Petrov turned his hand over and wrapped his fingers around Kaede's, giving them a little squeeze. Her lashes fluttered open before she saw that Yuri was smiling at her. Weakly, looking tired, but it was him. His pale green eyes looked at her gently.

"Yuri," she breathed, leaning over, about to hug him. She paused, however, and recoiled a bit. "Lunatic?"

"He has promised to never touch you again," Yuri said in a scratchy, dry voice. He let out a faint cough and the young woman at his bedside picked up the glass of water that was there. She held it for him and he sipped at it, saying after, "You really hurt his pride, I think. Plus, if you keep throwing me out of windows, my body might not make it."

Tears welled up in Kaede's eyes and fell quickly as her shoulders trembled. "I'm so sorry, Yuri. For everything. I almost got you caught by the Heroes, that wretched Agnes just wanted more ratings and let Lunatic... she let him..."

Reaching over, Yuri sluggishly moved his arms around the woman's shoulders and drew her against his form. He kissed the top of her head and said softly, "Shh, it's alright. They didn't catch Lunatic, and as long as you promise to never interfere with his work again, they never will."

With a faint whine, Kaede tilted her head back and looked up at the judge. "He's still going to come out?"

"Well... of course." With a furrowed brow, Yuri shifted in his bed and sat up a bit straighter. "Kaede, he's a part of me. I need you to understand that if you're going to be in my life, so will he."

Wide caramel eyes stared up into pale green ones. With a knitted brow, the woman thought about it. She didn't want to live without Yuri. It'd mean living with the knowledge that Lunatic resided within him as well and probably would for the rest of his life, determined to enact justice on sinners. Slowly, after careful consideration, Kaede nodded. "I want to be in your life, Yuri. Even if that means he is too."

Honestly, anyone listening at the door might've thought that Judge Petrov had a male lover stashed away somewhere. However, the judge had been afforded the highest amount of privacy. Most of the nurses already stayed away because they were mildly infuriated by the woman in there with him.

"Then it is settled. You should go home and get some rest, honestly."

"I'm not leaving you here! Those nurses are really mean. What if they don't bring you anything sweet to eat?"

With a devilish smile and narrowed eyes, Yuri ran his fingers along Kaede's jaw, drawing her very close to his face. "They don't have to, I already have the sweetest dessert right here." He closed the space between them, kissing the young woman soundly and holding her close.

One of the nurses was walking by and saw, her eyebrows raising quite a bit. Didn't that blonde man say that was Petrov's assistant? With a couple of tuts she left the two alone, knowing she'd have something good to share at the nurse's station for gossip that afternoon.

The next day Yuri returned to the Justice Bureau. Kaede was with him, dressed in one of the new outfits she had bought. The judge made an official proposal for her to be his permanent assistant, with a salary, vacation time, and benefits. Teasingly, she asked if one of the benefits was dating her boss. He answered her with another kiss, silencing her with his gentle adoration.

Honestly, things went well after that for the two.

Their relationship was made public, much to the surprise of the workers at the Bureau, who thought the judge didn't even notice people in a romantic way. After a few months Kaede started to stay over at Yuri's new house, which he had built in a more remote location of Sternbild, near the park. It also happened to be by a few dessert shops, which the two frequented. He had built something simple, four bedrooms, two baths, a fully furnished basement, with a fenced in backyard. It kept up the appearance that Yuri was a man who liked nice things, and soon the judge's girlfriend became his fiancé. Within a year they were married, much to Kotetsu's dismay.

During the night of the full moon, Lunatic kept appearing, but without Kaede to interrupt him again, things went much smoother. He'd be in, allow Hero TV to catch a glimpse of him so that the sinners knew he was still around, took care of his victim, and slipped past those intending to catch him. Kaede helped Judge Petrov after his regular hours at the Bureau, remaking the files he had lost on his private computer, smugly changing her own file to say "Kaede Petrov, formerly Kaburagi".

While she still did not like Lunatic, and knew the feeling was mutual, being able to help Yuri was something she willingly did time and time again. She was his assistant at the Bureau, his file manager for his private affairs, and on those rare occasions he came home injured after a full moon, a wound dresser. Kaede's medical knowledge grew just a little, enough that she could pass as a mediocre field medic. It was all to make sure Yuri was able to recover with no one knowing what he got up to during the full moon.

The vacation home was still used once a year for them to get away for two weeks, to spend time alone. Even Lunatic faded into nonexistence during that time. Sometimes Yuri pondered where he went or how he was able to almost completely disappear from his mind, but he could never think on it too long, for his wife was always dancing around in a white summer dress in that vacation home, blue-green fire clinging to the hem of the garb, matching licks of flame dancing in her chestnut colored hair and along her glowing blue eyes. Every time he saw her enjoying playing with his fire, Yuri gave up the worries that were building and encircled her waist with his arms, drawing her into a heated kiss that always left the two of them breathless. He could think on them another time, when Kaede wasn't being so alluring.

* * *

2019 Notes from VP: Woo, this is the end! So, just to let people know, this story was originally 22,000 words. Now it's just shy of 70,000! So it's been tripled in length and I think it needed the additional chapters, character development, and details. I may still go back and work on the last two chapters (because yeah, I still am not 100% satisfied with them), but overall, I enjoy this story much, much more than the original one I had written, and I hope you all like it as well!


End file.
